The 74 was the classic line-of-battle ship of the late eighteenth century, and Bellona was one of the most important and long lived. Launched in 1760, during the Seven Years War, she belonged to the first truly successful class of British 74-gun ships, a design by Thomas Slade that was built in large numbers over more than twenty years. Bellona herself served with distinction over 54 years, fought in four wars and was not broken up until 1814.