View source for Castle-class corvette

{{Short description|Corvettes of the Royal Navy}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin|sclass=2}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:HMS Denbigh Castle IWM FL 6032.jpg|300px|HMS Denbigh Castle]]
|Ship caption={{HMS|Denbigh Castle|K696|2}}
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=Castle class
|Builders=
|Operators=*{{navy|United Kingdom}}
* {{naval|Canada|1911}}
* {{navy|Norway}}
* {{navy|Republic of China}}
* {{navy|China}}
|Class before={{sclass2|Flower|corvette|4}}
|Class after= ''None''
|Subclasses=
|Built range=
|In commission range=
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=95
|Total ships completed=44
|Total ships cancelled=51
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=3
|Total ships retired=41
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=[[Corvette]]
|Ship displacement={{convert|1060|LT|t|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship length={{convert|252|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|37|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|10|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship power={{convert|2750|hp|MW|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 × water-tube boilers
* 1 × 4-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine
* Single screw
|Ship speed= {{convert|16.5|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range= {{convert|9500|nmi|km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|kn|abbr=on}}
|Ship complement=112
|Ship sensors=*Type 272 radar
* Type 144Q sonar
* Type 147B sonar
|Ship armament=*1 × [[QF 4 inch Mk XIX naval gun|4-inch (102-mm) Quick Firing Mk.XIX High Angle/Low Angle combined air/surface gun]]
* 1 × [[Squid (weapon)|Squid]] [[anti-submarine mortar]]
* 1 × [[depth charge rail]], 15 Depth charges
* 2 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm]] twin anti-aircraft cannon
* Up to 6 × 20 mm Oerlikon cannon<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lenton |first=H.T. |title=British and Empire Warships of the Second World War |date=1998 |publisher=Greenhill |isbn=1853672777 |page=297}}</ref>
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
The '''Castle-class corvette''' was an ocean going convoy escort developed by the [[United Kingdom]] during the [[World War II|Second World War]]. It was the follow-on to the {{sclass2|Flower|corvette}}, and designed to be built in shipyards that were producing the Flowers. The Castle-class was a general improvement over the smaller Flowers which were designed for coastal rather than open ocean use.

The Castle-class corvettes started appearing in service during late 1943.

==Background==
In mid-1939, the [[Admiralty (United Kingdom)|Admiralty]] ordered 175 Flower-class corvettes for protecting shipping on the east coast of Britain. They were designed to be built in large numbers in small shipyards without propulsion and other components (mainly gearboxes, but also guns) then in short supply so not compete with other warships for construction. By the time the Flowers began entering service in late-1940, due to their long range they were required to undertake missions beyond coastal waters.<ref name="friedman_2006_134">Friedman (2006): page 134</ref><ref name="friedman_2006_135">Friedman (2006): page 135</ref> The Flowers were unsuited for [[Battle of the Atlantic|open-ocean escort missions]] in the [[Atlantic Ocean|North Atlantic]], especially in [[Sea state|poor weather]]; they lacked speed, endurance, and habitability<ref name="friedman_2006_135" /><ref name="friedman_2006_136">Friedman (2006): page 136</ref> but became the mainstay of the [[Mid-Ocean Escort Force]] protecting convoys crossing the Atlantic.

The Royal Navy recognized the limitations of the Flower and began designing an open-ocean escort in November 1940,<ref name="friedman_2006_139">Friedman (2006): page 139</ref> which became the {{sclass2|River|frigate}}.<ref name="friedman_2006_140">Friedman (2006): page 140</ref> The larger Rivers were too expensive to produce at the required rate and needed larger slipways. In response, the {{sclass2|Loch|frigate}} was developed in late-1942, which was developed from the River and designed for [[Prefabrication|prefabricated]] construction.<ref name="friedman_2006_149">Friedman (2006): page 149</ref> The Castle was developed from a proposal by [[Smith's Dock Company]] – who had designed the Flower-class – for a stretched Flower.<ref name="brown_2007_7_design">Brown (2007): chapter 7, "The origin of the Castles has been mentioned previously..."</ref> The result was a scaled-down version of the Loch for shipyards<ref name="friedman_2006_156">Friedman (2006): page 156</ref> that only built corvettes using mainly traditional methods.

The design was approved in May 1943<ref name="brown_2007_7_design" /> and 96 Castles were ordered from yards in the UK and [[Canada]]. Fifteen British and all 37 Canadian ships were later cancelled;<ref name="friedman_2006_156" /> Canada receiving twelve British-built ships instead.<ref name="brown_2007_7_design" /> The UK completed a further five as [[convoy rescue ship]]s for its [[Merchant Navy (United Kingdom)|Merchant Navy]]. Four became [[weather ship]]s after the war.<ref name="friedman_2006_156" />

==Design==
The Castle resembled later Flowers with an extended forecastle and mast behind the [[Bridge (nautical)|bridge]], but was 135 tons heavier and 47 feet longer. The [[Admiralty Experiment Works]] at [[Haslar]] developed an improved hull form which, in combination with the increased length, made the Castle at least half a knot faster than the Flower despite using the same engine.<ref name="brown_2007_7_design" /> The Castle also had a single-screw.<ref name="brown_2007_7_screw">Brown (2007): chapter 7, "It was thought that at least 200 new escorts..."</ref> A lattice mainmast was used instead of the pole version fitted to the Flowers.

Construction used mainly traditional methods with as much [[welding]] as possible. [[Scantling]] was based on the Flower, but lightened in some areas. The wireless office<ref name="brown_2007_7_design" /> (the same as on the Loch<ref name="friedman_2006_156" />), the radar office, and the lattice mast were installed as prefabricated units.<ref name="brown_2007_7_design" />

The Castle was armed with a [[Squid (weapon)|Squid anti-submarine mortar]], directed by Type 145 and 147B ASDIC.<ref name="brown_2007_7_design" /> The Flower used the older [[Hedgehog (weapon)|Hedgehog mortar]]<ref name="friedman_2006_139" /> and could not be fitted with Squid.<ref name="friedman_2006_146">Friedman (2006): page 146</ref> The first operational Type 147 and Squid were installed aboard [[HMS Hadleigh Castle (K355)|HMS ''Hadleigh Castle'']] in September 1943.<ref name="brown_2007_7_asdic">Brown (2007): chapter 7, "The first operational set was installed..."</ref><ref name="brown_2007_7_design" />

In place of the [[BL 4-inch Mk IX naval gun|BL 4-inch Mk IX]] main gun, the Castles had the new [[QF 4 inch Mk XIX naval gun|QF 4-inch Mk XIX gun]] on a High-Angle/Low-Angle mounting which could be used against aircraft as well as surface targets such as submarines.

==In service==
The Castle was criticized for being barely fast enough to fight [[Germany|German]] [[Type VII submarine]]s and difficult to handle at low speed.<ref name="brown_2007_7_design" />

== Ships ==

===Royal Canadian Navy===
The following vessels were all originally built for the Royal Navy, but were transferred to the RCN on completion (for details of builders and construction dates see under '''Royal Navy''' below). All their pennant numbers (except ''Hedingham Castle'', which was never completed), as well as their names, were changed when transferred.
* HMCS ''Arnprior'' (K494) (ex-{{HMS|Rising Castle|K398|6}})
* HMCS ''Bowmanville'' (K493) (ex-{{HMS|Nunney Castle|K446|6}}), sold to [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]] as cargo ship, but taken over by the Communist [[People's Liberation Army Navy]] after the end of the [[Chinese Civil War]] and rearmed with Soviet guns, entering PLAN service as ''[[Guangzhou]]''.
* HMCS ''Copper Cliff'' (K495) (ex-{{HMS|Hever Castle|K521|6}})
* HMCS ''Hespeler'' (K489) (ex-{{HMS|Guildford Castle|K378|6}}) (later SS ''Chilcotin'')
* HMCS ''Humberstone'' (K497) (ex-{{HMS|Norham Castle|K447|6}})
* HMCS ''Huntsville'' (K499) (ex-{{HMS|Woolvesey Castle|K461|6}})
* HMCS ''Kincardine'' (K490) (ex-{{HMS|Tamworth Castle|K393|6}})
* HMCS ''Leaside'' (K492) (ex-{{HMS|Walmer Castle|K405|6}}, later SS ''Coquitlam II'')
* HMCS ''Orangeville'' (K491) (ex-{{HMS|Hedingham Castle|K491|6}}), sold to [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]] as cargo ship, but taken over by the [[Republic of China Navy|ROC Navy]] on 29 June 1950 and rearmed with US guns, entering ROCN service as ''De An'' (德安)
* HMCS ''Petrolia'' (K498) (ex-{{HMS|Sherborne Castle|K453|6}})
* HMCS ''St. Thomas'' (K488) (ex-{{HMS|Sandgate Castle|K473|6}}, later SS ''Camosun III'')
* HMCS ''Tillsonburg'' (K496) (ex-{{HMS|Pembroke Castle|K450|6}}), sold to [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]] as cargo ship, but taken over by [[ROCN]] on 29 June 1950 and rearmed with US guns, entering ROCN service as ''Kao An'' (高安)

===Royal Navy===
The first of the Castle-class were the prototypes ''Hadleigh Castle'' and ''Kenilworth Castle'', ordered on 9 December 1942; another 12 vessels were also ordered on 9 December, also under the 1942 War Programme. The remaining eighty-one ships were all ordered for the RN under the 1943 War Programme, of which thirty were completed. Fifty-one of these ships (15 from UK shipyards and 36 from Canadian shipyards) were cancelled late in 1943.

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ Castle-class corvettes of the Royal Navy{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}}
|-
! scope="col" | Name
! scope="col" | [[Pennant number|Pennant]]
! scope="col" | Hull builder
! scope="col" | Ordered
! scope="col" | Laid down
! scope="col" | Launched
! scope="col" | Commissioned
! scope="col" | [[Ship commissioning#Ship decommissioning|Paid off]]
! scope="col" | Fate
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Hadleigh Castle|K355|2}}
| K355
| [[Smiths Dock Company]]
| 9 Dec 1942
| 4 Apr 1943
| 21 Jun 1943
| 18 Sep 1943
| Aug 1946
| Scrapped, Jan 1959
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Kenilworth Castle|K420|2}}
| K420
| [[Smiths Dock Company]]
| 9 Dec 1942
| 7 May 1943
| 17 Aug 1943
| 22 Nov 1943
| 1948
| Scrapped, 20 Jun 1959
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Allington Castle|K689|2}}
| K689
| [[Fleming & Ferguson]]
| 9 Dec 1942<br><sup>(a)</sup>
| 22 Jul 1943
| 29 Feb 1944
| 19 June 1944
| 1947
| Scrapped 1958
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Bamborough Castle|K412|2}}
| K412
| [[John Lewis & Co. Ltd]]
| 9 Dec 1942
| 1 Jul 1943
| 11 Jan 1944
| 30 May 1944
| 1950
| Scrapped 22 May 1959
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Caistor Castle|K690|2}}
| K690
| [[John Lewis & Co. Ltd]]
| 9 Dec 1942
| 26 Aug 1943
| 22 May 1944
| 29 September 1944
| 1947
| Scrapped Mar 1956
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Denbigh Castle|K696|2}}
| K696
| [[John Lewis & Co. Ltd]]
| 9 Dec 1942
| 30 Sep 1943
| 5 Aug 1944
| 30 December 1944
|
| Declared constructive total loss, 13 Feb 1945
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Farnham Castle|K413|2}}
| K413
| [[John Crown & Sons Ltd]]
| 9 Dec 1942
| 25 Jun 1943
| 25 Apr 1944
| 31 Jan 1945
| 1947
| Scrapped, 31 Oct 1960
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Hedingham Castle|K529|2}}
| K529
| [[John Crown & Sons Ltd]]
| 9 Dec 1942
| 2 Nov 1943
| 30 Oct 1944
| 12 May 1945
| Aug 1945
| Scrapped, Apr 1958
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Lancaster Castle|K691|2}}
| K691
| [[Fleming & Ferguson]]
| 9 Dec 1942
| 10 Sep 1943
| 14 Apr 1944
| 15 Sep 1944
| 1947
| Scrapped, 20 Jun 1959
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[SS Empire Lifeguard|Maiden Castle]]''
| K443
| [[Fleming & Ferguson]]
| 9 Dec 1942
| 1943
| 8 Jun 1944
| November 1944
|
| Became [[convoy rescue ship]] ''Empire Lifeguard'' before completion; Scrapped, 22 Jul 1955
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Norham Castle|K447|2}} (ex-{{wbr}}''Totnes Castle'')
| K447
| [[A. & J. Inglis]]
| 9 Dec 1942
| 30 Sep 1943
| 12 Apr 1944
| 6 Sep 1944
|
| Transferred to Canada as HMCS ''Humberstone'' 1944; Sold for mercantile service 1947
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Oakham Castle||2}}
| K530
| [[A. & J. Inglis]]
| 9 Dec 1942
| 30 Sep 1943
| 20 Jul 1944
| 10 Dec 1944
| 1950
| Became the weather ship ''[[Weather Reporter]]'' 1957
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Pembroke Castle|K450|2}}
| K450
| [[Ferguson Shipbuilders]]
| 9 Dec 1942
| 3 Jun 1943
| 12 Feb 1944
| 29 June 1944
|
| Transferred to Canada as HMCS ''Tillsonburg'' in 1944; Sold for mercantile service 1947; Sold to Republic of China as ''Kao An'' 1952
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Rayleigh Castle|K695|2}}
| K695
| [[Ferguson Shipbuilders]]
| 9 Dec 1942
| 1943
| 12 Jun 1944
| Oct 1944
|
| Completed as convoy rescue ship ''[[SS Empire Rest|Empire Rest]]''
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Alnwick Castle|K405|2}}
| K405
| [[George Brown and Company|George Brown & Co.]]
| 19 Jan 1943
| 1943
| 3 Oct 1944
|
| 1957
| Broken up Dec 1958
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Barnard Castle|K594|2}}
| K594
| [[George Brown and Company|George Brown & Co.]]
|
| 1943
| 3 Oct 1944
|
|
| completed 1945 as convoy rescue ship ''[[SS Empire Shelter|Empire Shelter]]''
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Flint Castle|K383|2}}
| K383
| [[Henry Robb]], at Leith
|
| 20 Apr 1943
| 1 Sep 1943
| 31 Dec 1943
| Mar 1956
| Broken up 10 Jul 1958
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Guildford Castle|K378|2}}
| K378
| Henry Robb, at Leith
|
| 25 May 1943
| 13 Nov 1943
| 11 Mar 1944
|
| to [[Royal Canadian Navy|Canada]] as HMCS ''Hespeler'', 1944; Sold for mercantile service 1946 (later SS ''Chilcotin'')
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Hedingham Castle|K491|2}}
| K491
| Henry Robb, at Leith
|
| 23 Jul 1943
| 26 Jan 1944
| 10 May 1944
|
| to [[Royal Canadian Navy|Canada]] as HMCS ''Orangeville'', 1944; Sold for mercantile service 1947; to Republic of China Navy 1951 as ''Te An''
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Knaresborough Castle|K389|2}}
| K389
| Blyth Dry Dock
|
| 22 Apr 1943
| 1 Sep 1943
| 5 April 1944
| 1947
| Broken up 16 Mar 1956
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Launceston Castle|K397|2}}
| K397
| Blyth Dry Dock
|
| 27 May 1943
| 27 Nov 1943
| 20 June 1944
| 1947
| Broken up 3 Aug 1959
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Sandgate Castle|K473|2}}
| K473
| Smiths Dock, at Middlesbrough
|
| 23 Jun 1943
| 28 Dec 1943
| 18 May 1944
| 22 Nov 1945
| to Canada as HMCS ''St. Thomas'', 1944; sold for mercantile service 1946 (later SS ''Camosun III'')
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Tamworth Castle|K393|2}}
| K393
| Smiths Dock, at Middlesbrough
|
| 25 Aug 1943
| 26 Jan 1944
| 3 Jul 1944
| 17 Feb 1946
| to Canada as HMCS ''Kincardine''; sold for mercantile service 1946
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Walmer Castle|K405|2}}
| K405
| Smiths Dock, at Middlesbrough
|
| 23 Sep 1943
| 10 Mar 1944
| 5 Sep 1944
| 16 Nov 1945
| to Canada as HMCS ''Leaside''; sold for mercantile service 1946 (later SS ''Coquitlam II'')
|-
! scope="row" | [[SS Empire Comfort|''York Castle'']]
|
| Ferguson Brothers, Port Glasgow
|
| 1944
| 20 Sep 1944
|
|
| completed Feb 1945 as convoy rescue ship {{SS|Empire Comfort}}
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Hever Castle|K521|2}}
|
| Blyth Dry Dock
|
| 29 June 1943
| 24 Feb 1944
| 15 Aug 1944
|
| to Canada as HMCS ''Copper Cliff'', 1944; Sold for mercantile service 1947, then became Chinese (People's Liberation Army) 1949
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Leeds Castle|K384|2}}
| K384
| [[Austin & Pickersgill|William Pickersgill & Sons]]
| 23 Jan 1943
| 22 Apr 1943
| 12 Oct 1943
| 15 Feb 1944
| Nov 1956
| broken up 5 Jun 1958
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Morpeth Castle|K693|2}}
| K693
| [[Austin & Pickersgill|William Pickersgill & Sons]]
| 23 Jan 1943
| 23 Jun 1943
| 26 Nov 1943
| 13 Jul 1944
| 1946
| broken up 9 Aug 1960
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Nunney Castle|K446|2}}
| K446
| [[Austin & Pickersgill|William Pickersgill & Sons]]
| 23 Jan 1943
| 12 Aug 1943
| 26 Jan 1944
| 8 Oct 1944
|
| to Canada as HMCS ''Bowmanville'', 1944; Sold for mercantile service 1946, then became Chinese (People's Liberation Army) ''Kuang Chou'' 1949
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Oxford Castle|K692|2}}
| K692
| Harland and Wolff
| 23 Jan 1943
| 21 Jun 1943
| 11 Dec 1943
| 10 Mar 1944
| 1946
| broken up 6 Sep 1960
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Pevensey Castle|K449|2}}
| K449
| Harland and Wolff
| 23 Jan 1943
| 21 Jun 1943
| 11 Jan 1944
| 10 Jun 1944
| Feb 1946
| Became weather ship ''[[HMS Pevensey Castle (K449)|Weather Monitor]]'' in 1959
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Rising Castle|K398|2}}
| K398
| Harland and Wolff
| 23 Jan 1943
| 21 Jun 1943
| 8 Feb 1944
| 26 Jun 1944
| 14 Mar 1946
| to Canada as HMCS ''Arnprior'', 1944; transferred to Uruguay as ''Montevideo''
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Scarborough Castle|K536|2}}
| K536
| Fleming & Ferguson
| 23 Jan 1943
| 1944
| 8 Sep 1944
| Jan 1945
|
| Completed as convoy rescue ship (''[[SS Empire Peacemaker|Empire Peacemaker]]'')
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Sherborne Castle|K453|2}}
| K453
| Harland and Wolff
| 23 Jan 1943
| 21 June 1943
| 24 Feb 1944
| 14 Jul 1944
| 8 Mar 1946
| to [[Royal Canadian Navy|Canada]] as HMCS ''Petrolia'', 1944; Sold for mercantile service 1946
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Tintagel Castle|K399|2}}
| K399
| [[Ailsa Shipbuilding Company]]
| 23 Jan 1943
| 29 April 1943
| 13 Dec 1943
| 7 Apr 1944
| Aug 1956
| Broken up Jun 1958
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Wolvesey Castle|K461|2}}
| K461
| [[Ailsa Shipbuilding Company]]
| 23 Jan 1943
| 1 Jun 1943
| 24 Feb 1944
| 15 Jun 1944
| 15 Feb 1946
| to Canada as HMCS ''Huntsville'', 1944; Sold for mercantile service 1947
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Amberley Castle|K386|2}}
| K386
| [[Austin & Pickersgill|S P Austin & Son Ltd]]
| 2 Feb 1943
| 31 May 1943
| 25 Nov 1943
| 24 Nov 1944
| 1947
| Became the weather ship ''[[HMS Amberley Castle (K386)|Weather Adviser]]'' in 1960
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Berkeley Castle|K387|2}}
| K387
| [[Barclay Curle]]
| 2 Feb 1943
| 23 Apr 1943
| 19 Aug 1943
| 18 Nov 1944
| 1946
| Scrapped 24 February 1956
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Carisbrooke Castle|K379|2}}
| K379
| [[Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company]]
| 2 Feb 1943
| 12 Mar 1943
| 31 Jul 1943
| 17 Nov 1943
| 1947
| Scrapped 14 June 1958
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Dumbarton Castle|K388|2}}
| K388
| [[Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company]]
| 2 Feb 1943
| 6 May 1943
| 28 Sep 1943
| 25 Feb 1944
| 1947
| Scrapped March 1961
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Hurst Castle|K416|2}}
| K416
| [[Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company]]
| 2 Feb 1943
| 6 August 1943
| 23 Feb 1944
| 9 Jun 1944
|
| Sunk by [[German submarine U-482|''U-482'']] on 1 Sep 1944
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Portchester Castle|K362|2}}
| K362
| [[Swan Hunter]]
| 6 Feb 1943
| 17 March 1943
| 21 Jun 1943
| 8 Nov 1943
| 1947
| Scrapped 14 May 1958
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Rushen Castle|K372|2}}
| K372
| [[Swan Hunter]]
| 6 Feb 1943
| 8 April 1943
| 16 Jul 1943
| 24 Feb 1944
| 1946
| Became the weather ship ''[[HMS Rushen Castle (K372)|Weather Surveyor]]'' in 1960
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Shrewsbury Castle|K374|2}}
| K374
| [[Swan Hunter]]
| 6 Feb 1943
| 5 May 1943
| 16 Aug 1943
| 24 Apr 1944
|
| Transferred to Norway on completion and renamed HNoMS ''Tunsberg Castle''; Sunk by mine 12 Dec 1944
|}

Notes: (a) from the previous order placed for a Modified Flower-class corvette named ''Amaryllis''.

Two of those ordered 3 March 1943, three ordered 4 May 1943 and two ordered 10 July 1943 were all cancelled, as were all thirty-six ordered from Canadian shipyards on 15 March 1943.

===Royal Norwegian Navy===
* {{HNoMS|Tunsberg Castle}} – HMS ''Shrewsbury Castle'' was loaned to the Royal Norwegian navy on 17 April 1944. On 12 December 1944, she hit a mine and sank.

== Cancelled ==
Fifteen ships ordered for the Royal Navy from UK shipyards as part of the 1943 Programme were all cancelled on 31 October 1943:
* ''Caldecot Castle'' – ordered 19 January 1943 from John Brown & Company, Clydebank.
* ''Dover Castle'' – ordered 19 January 1943 from A. & J. Inglis, Glasgow.
* ''Dudley Castle'' – ordered 19 January 1943 from A. & J. Inglis, Glasgow.
* ''Bere Castle'' – ordered 23 January 1943 from John Brown & Company, Clydebank.
* ''Calshot Castle'' – ordered 23 January 1943 from John Brown & Company, Clydebank.
* ''Monmouth Castle'' (originally to have been ''Peel Castle'') – ordered 23 January 1943 from John Lewis & Sons, Aberdeen.
* ''Rhuddlan Castle'' – ordered 23 January 1943 from John Crown & Sons, Sunderland.
* ''Thornbury Castle'' – ordered 23 January 1943 from Ferguson Brothers, Port Glasgow.
* ''Appleby Castle'' – ordered 3 March 1943 from Austin, at Sunderland.
* ''Tonbridge Castle'' – ordered 3 March 1943 from Austin, at Sunderland.
* ''Norwich Castle'' – ordered 4 May 1943 from John Brown & Company, Clydebank.
* ''Oswestry Castle'' – ordered 4 May 1943 from John Crown & Sons, Sunderland.
* ''Pendennis Castle'' – ordered 4 May 1943 from John Crown & Sons, Sunderland.
* ''Alton Castle'' – ordered 10 July 1943 from Fleming & Ferguson, Paisley.
* ''Warkworth Castle'' – ordered 10 July 1943 from Fleming & Ferguson, Paisley.

The following ships were ordered on 15 March 1943 for the Royal Navy from Canadian shipyards for completion between May 1944 and June 1945, but were all cancelled in December 1943:
{{div col|colwidth=10em}}
* ''Aydon Castle''
* ''Barnwell Castle''
* ''Beeston Castle''
* ''Bodiam Castle''
* ''Bolton Castle''
* ''Bowes Castle''
* ''Bramber Castle''
* ''Bridgnorth Castle''
* ''Brough Castle''
* ''Canterbury Castle''
* ''Carew Castle''
* ''Chepstow Castle''
* ''Chester Castle''
* ''Christchurch Castle''
* ''Clare Castle''
* ''Clavering Castle''
* ''Clitheroe Castle''
* ''Clun Castle''
* ''Colchester Castle''
* ''Corfe Castle''
* ''Cornet Castle''
* ''Cowes Castle''
* ''Cowling Castle''
* ''Criccieth Castle''
* ''Cromer Castle''
* ''Devizes Castle''
* ''Dhyfe Castle''
* ''Dunster Castle''
* ''Egremont Castle''
* ''Fotheringay Castle''
* ''Helmsley Castle''
* ''Malling Castle''
* ''Malmesbury Castle''
* ''Raby Castle''
* ''Trematon Castle''
* ''Tutbury Castle''
* ''Wigmore Castle''
{{Div col end}}

==Castles sunk or destroyed in action==
* {{HMS|Hurst Castle|K416|2}} was sunk by {{ship|German submarine|U-482||2}} northwest of Ireland on 1 September 1944.
* HNoMS ''Tunsberg Castle'' was sunk by a mine near [[Båtsfjord (village)|Båtsfjord]], [[Norway]] on 12 December 1944.
* {{HMS|Denbigh Castle|K696|2}} was hit by a torpedo from {{ship|German submarine|U-992||2}} in the [[Barents Sea]] on 13 February 1945. She was towed by {{HMS|Bluebell|K80|2}} to the Kola Inlet but later capsized.

==U-boats sunk by Castles==
* {{ship|German submarine|U-744||2}} was sunk by {{HMS|Icarus|D03|2}}, {{HMCS|St. Catharines|K325|2}}, {{HMCS|Fennel|K194|2}}, {{HMCS|Chilliwack|K131|2}}, {{HMCS|Chaudiere|H99|2}}, {{HMCS|Gatineau|H61|2}} and {{HMS|Kenilworth Castle|K420|2}} on 6 March 1944
* {{ship|German submarine|U-484||2}} was sunk in the north-west of Ireland by {{HMS|Portchester Castle|K362|2}} and {{HMS|Helmsdale|K253|2}} on 9 September 1944
* {{ship|German submarine|U-1200||2}} was sunk south of Ireland by {{HMS|Pevensey Castle|K449|2}}, {{HMS|Lancaster Castle|K691|2}}, {{HMS|Portchester Castle|K362|2}} and {{HMS|Kenilworth Castle|K420|2}} on 11 November 1944
* {{ship|German submarine|U-387||2}} was sunk in the [[Barents Sea]] by {{HMS|Bamborough Castle|K412|2}} on 9 December 1944
* {{ship|German submarine|U-877||2}} was sunk north-west of the Azores by {{HMCS|St. Thomas|K488|2}} on 27 December 1944
* {{ship|German submarine|U-425||2}} was sunk in the [[Barents Sea]] by {{HMS|Lark|U11|2}} and {{HMS|Alnwick Castle|K405|2}} on 17 February 1945
* {{ship|German submarine|U-878||2}} was sunk in the [[Bay of Biscay]] by {{HMS|Vanquisher|D54|2}} and {{HMS|Tintagel Castle|K399|2}} on 10 April 1945

==Film appearance==
The final third of the film ''[[The Cruel Sea (1953 film)|The Cruel Sea]]'' is set on the Castle-class corvette ''Saltash Castle'' (portrayed by {{HMS|Portchester Castle|K362|2}}).

==Post-war conversions==
Three were converted to passenger/cargo ships for the [[Union Steamship Company of British Columbia]] and were known as the ''White Boats''.<ref>Twigg</ref> They were operated from 1946 to 1958 but were heavy on fuel and had limited cargo capacity, for example they could not carry cars in the hold.
* SS ''Camosun III'' – ex-HMCS ''St. Thomas'', HMS ''Sandgate Castle''
* SS ''Chilcotin'' – ex-HMCS ''Hespeler'', HMS ''Guildford Castle''
* SS ''Coquitlam II'' – ex-HMCS ''Leaside'', HMS ''Walmer Castle''

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite book |last=Brown |first=David K. |title=Atlantic Escorts : Ships, Weapons & Tactics in World War II |date=2007 |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |isbn=978-1-78346-901-7 |location=Barnsley}}
* {{Cite book |last=Norman |first=Friedman |title=British Destroyers and Frigates: the Second World War and After |date=2006 |publisher=Chatham Publishing |isbn=1-86176-137-6 |location=London}}
* Twigg, Arthur M.: ''Union Steamships Remembered: 1920–1958'' (1997) {{ISBN|1-55056-516-8}}.
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Castle class corvettes}}
* [http://www.castlecorvette.co.uk/ Castle-class corvette (Frigate) Association]
* [http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/class.html?ID=4 Castle-class corvettes on U-Boat.net]

{{Castle class corvette}}
{{WWII British ships}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Corvette classes]]
[[Category:Castle-class corvettes| ]]