 The ship was laid down at Pembroke Dockyard on 12 July 1880 and launched by Mrs. Louise Chatfield, wife of the dockyard's Captain-Superintendent, Captain Alfred Chatfield, on 22 November 1882.While conducting gunnery trials on 4 May 1886, "Collingwood"s rear left gun partially shattered and all of the Mk II guns were withdrawn from service.They were replaced by heavier Mk Vw models with approximately the same performance.