The Taunton was a 40-gun fourth-rate frigate of the navy of the Commonwealth of England, originally built by contract with William Castle at Rotherhithe under the Later 1622 Programme, and launched in 1654.

[1] The frigate was named in honour of the victorious Parliamentary forces at the three Sieges of Taunton in Somerset in 1644-45 during the First English Civil War.

After the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, the Taunton was added to the Royal Navy and her name was changed to HMS Crown.

[6] In 1689-90 the Crown underwent a rebuilding at Woolwich Dockyard by Master Shipwright Joseph Lawrence, and in 1692 under Captain Thomas Warren she took part in the Battle of Barfleur.

[2] In 1703-04 she underwent a second rebuilding at Deptford Dockyard by Master Shipwright Fisher Harding, from where she was relaunched on 24 June 1704 as a fourth-rate ship of the line of between 46 and 54 guns.