HMS Orford was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built to the draught specified by the 1745 Establishment at Woolwich Dockyard, and launched in 1749.

[2] Orford then sailed for the English Channel to join the Brest blockade fleet of Hawke in 1760; there she captured the French 8-gun privateer schooner La Marguerite on 4 April.

[7] She was brought into dock for a survey between 15 May 1764 and 23 July 1765, the result of which was the ordering of a large series of repairs to her at Chatham Dockyard which were completed in August 1767 at the cost of £28,659, which was only £3,000 less than her original construction price.

[7][2] Orford was not immediately put back into service, only being recommissioned in November 1770 under the command of Captain Sir John Strachan to serve in the Falklands Crisis.

[7] She was then fitted to serve as a hospital ship at Sheerness Dockyard between January and March 1777, for the purpose of which her command was given to Lieutenant Richard Vavasor.