The Probert Encyclopaedia of Ships

ARK ROYAL

The Ark Royal was a British galleon of 800 tons built for Sir Walter Raleigh in 1587 as the Ark Raleigh, but taken over while still being built, by the English government and renamed the Ark Royal. She was the flagship of the English fleet under Lord Howard of Effingham at the battle against the Spanish Armada in 1588. The Ark Royal was built for defence, and had four masts and carried a crew of 304 plus 126 soldiers and was armed with 38 guns and 17 small pieces.
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