She was the second vessel to bear the name Bridgewater since it was used for a 58-gun ship built at Deptford in 1654, renamed Anne in May 1660 and blown up at Sheerness on 2 December 1673.

[1] She was ordered on 15 February 1697 to be built at Sheerness Dockyard under the guidance of Master Shipwright Robert Shortiss.

[6] HMS Bridgewater was commissioned in 1699 under the command of Captain Thomas Dilkes for service in Irish Waters.

She was converted by Admiralty Order (AO) March 1727 to a 8-gun fireship with a crew of 55 personnel at Woolwich Dockyard in March/April 1727.

She was recommissioned in 1727 under Captain John Temple for service with Sir Charles Wager's Fleet in the Baltic.