The Calypso class comprised two steam corvettes (later classified as third-class cruisers) of the Royal Navy.

Built for distant cruising in the heyday of the British Empire, they served with the fleet until the early twentieth century, when they became training ships.

In design, materials, armament, and propulsion the Calypsos show evidence of their wooden sailing antecedents, blended with characteristics of the all-metal mastless steam warships which followed.

Their appearance and layout was similar to the "pure" sailing corvettes, with boiler rooms, machinery spaces, ventilators, and a flue added.

Their armament was not in turrets or barbettes, but arranged in a central broadside battery, with the four largest guns on sponsons to give larger arcs of fire.

Above the decks they had a full suite of masts and spars, standing and running rigging, and square and fore-and-aft sails.

[8] This rig enabled them to serve in areas where coaling stations were rare, and to rely on their sails for propulsion.

The poop contained cabins for the captain, first lieutenant, and navigating officer, with the double wheel sheltered under its forward end.

The tops of the coal bunkers, which projected above deck level, could be used for seating on one side of the mess tables, which were arranged fore-and-aft.

After the old cruiser was discarded in 1951, the "stone frigate" (shore establishment) operating there was given the name of HMS Calliope.

As part of the sail training squadron, Calypso cruised in home waters, the North Sea, and the Arctic and Atlantic oceans.