HMS Cambridge was an 80-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, designed by Sir Joseph Allin and built at Deptford Dockyard by Adam Hayes to the draught specified by the 1745 Establishment as amended in 1750, and launched on 21 October 1755.

Gordon also did not spend long aboard Cambridge, leaving in April 1757 to take command of the newly launched HMS Princess Amelia.

In January 1759 Sir John was reinforced with a fleet dispatched from England under the command of Commodore Robert Hughes, consisting of eight two-deckers, a frigate and four bomb ketches.

On 23 December 1781 she was in company with Squirrel, Dunkirk, and Antigua at the capture of the Dutch ship De Vrow Esther.

[4] During the Spanish armament of 1790 Cambridge became the flagship of Vice-Admiral Thomas Graves, and was commanded by Captain William Locker.

Cambridge was reduced to harbour service in 1793 and continued as the Plymouth guardship, being commanded by Captain Richard Boger.