"Stone frigate" is a nickname for a naval establishment on land. The term has its origin in Britain's Royal Navy, which until the late 19th century housed training and other support facilities in hulks — old wooden ships of the line — moored in ports as receiving ships, depot ships, or floating barracks. The Admiralty regarded shore accommodation as expensive and liable to lead to indiscipline. These floating establishments kept their names while the actual vessels housing them changed. For example, the gunnery training school at Portsmouth occupied three ships between its foundation in 1830 and its move ashore in 1891 but all were named (or renamed) HMS Excellent. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the British armed services, being the oldest of its three branches. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ships of the line were 1st, 2nd, or 3rd-rated ships in the rating system of the Royal Navy. ... A receiving ship is a ship that is used in harbor to house newly recruited sailors before they are assigned to a crew. ... Old Admiralty House, Whitehall, London, Thomas Ripley, architect, 1723-26, was not admired by his contemporaries and earned him some scathing couplets from Alexander Pope The Admiralty was historically the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. ... This article is about the English city of Portsmouth. ... There have been a number of real ships named HMS Excellent over the years, but since around 1920 the name has been associated with the Royal Naval Gunnery training School at Whale Island in Portsmouth Harbour. ...

As ships began to use increasingly complex technology in the late 19th century, these facilities grew too large to continue afloat and were moved to shore establishments while keeping their names. An early "stone frigate" was the engineering training college HMS Marlborough, moved ashore to Portsmouth in 1880. The gunnery school continued to be named HMS Excellent after its move ashore to Whale Island in 1891. By World War I there were about 25 "stone frigates" in the United Kingdom. Six warships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Marlborough after the Duke of Marlborough: The second-rate Saint Michael, renamed Marlborough in 1706, fought in the Seven Years War and foundered at sea in 1762. ... Map sources for Whale Island, Hampshire at grid reference SU636023 Whale Island is a small artificial island in Portsmouth Harbour, close by Portsea Island. ... Clockwise from top: Trenches in frontline, a British Mark I Tank crossing a trench, the Royal Navy battleship HMS Irresistible sinking after striking a mine at the battle of the Dardanelles, a Vickers machine gun crew with gas masks and a Sopwith Camel biplane. ...

The practice continues in the Royal Navy and some other navies of the Commonwealth of Nations, notably the Royal Canadian Navy. The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as The Commonwealth, is an association of independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. ... The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was the navy of Canada from 1911 until 1968 when the three branches of the Canadian military were merged into the Canadian Armed Forces. ...

"Stone frigate" is a nickname for a naval establishment on land. The term has its origin in Britain's Royal Navy, which until the late 19th century housed training and other support facilities in hulks — old wooden ships of the line — moored in ports as receiving ships, depot ships, or floating barracks. The Admiralty regarded shore accommodation as expensive and liable to lead to indiscipline. These floating establishments kept their names while the actual vessels housing them changed. For example, the gunnery training school at Portsmouth occupied three ships between its foundation in 1830 and its move ashore in 1891 but all were named (or renamed) HMS Excellent.

As ships began to use increasingly complex technology in the late 19th century, these facilities grew too large to continue afloat and were moved to shore establishments while keeping their names. An early "stone frigate" was the engineering training college HMS Marlborough, moved ashore to Portsmouth in 1880. The gunnery school continued to be named HMS Excellent after its move ashore to Whale Island in 1891. By World War I there were about 25 "stone frigates" in the United Kingdom.

The practice continues in the Royal Navy and some other navies of the Commonwealth of Nations, notably the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy.

See also

• List of Royal Navy shore establishments