Original Napoleonic Carved Wooden Gargoyle taken from the Batavian Navy Flagship VRIJHEID - Battle of Camperdown 1797
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Original Item: One of a Kind. This is a beautifully carved wooden gargoyle head, which originally hung in the Captain's quarters of the Batavian Navy Flagship of Admiral JAN DE WINTER, the vessel VRIJHEID. It was then taken after the ship was captured on 11th October 1797 at the North Sea's BATTLE of CAMPERDOWN.
A Silver plaque states :-
VRIJHEID
Battle damaged Prize taken by
Officer’s and men of
H-M-S DIRECTOR at CAMPERDOWN
11th October 1797
Fearsome but most appealing, this measures 11" tall by almost 9" wide and 5" deep, and is fitted with a brass hanging bracket to rear.
The original order to construct the ship was given by the Admiralty of Amsterdam, and the ship was commissioned in 1782. In 1795 the DUTCH REPUBLIC that we now know as HOLLAND or THE NETHERLANDS was overrun by the Army of the new French Republic and was thereafter, whilst under French control as the BATAVIAN REPUBLIC.
In 1797 the Batavian Fleet under Admiral JAN DE WINTER was ambushed by a British Fleet commanded by Admiral ADAM DUNCAN on October 11th 1797, the Battle of Camperdown. It was a complete rout: at a certain point, Vrijheid was engaged by four British ships, and after heavy fighting the flagship surrendered, along with nine other Men-o-War. The British sustained NO losses whatsoever. This carving was removed from the Flag ship and has been treasured ever since. After this she became a British Ship, the HMS Vrijeid, until she was sold off in 1811.
Another great piece of Royal Navy history, ready to display!
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