The Mary Rose
was one of the two large ships that were constructed
as part of a build-up of the English naval force in
the years between 1510 and 1515 against the ever
present threat of the French Navy. She was named
after king Henry VIII's favorite sister. From a
technological point of view, Mary Rose was a radical
departure from those of the previous king. It was
carvel rather than clinker built and equipped with
heavy guns mounted near the waterline. The
introduction of the carvel hull also facilitated the
construction of watertight gun-ports.
Mary Rose was rated only 600 tons but the second
most powerful ship in the fleet. Being able to
fire a full broadside of cannons, Mary Rose was the
pride of the English fleet. As built, Mary
Rose was intended to close with her enemies, fire
her guns, come alongside to allow the soldiers she
was carrying to board the enemy ship, supported by a
hail of arrows, darts and quick-lime, and to capture
it by hand-to-hand fighting. She was 38.5
meters long and had a crew of 200 sailors, 185
soldiers, and 30 gunners.
Mary Rose was a huge success. One of her many
trophies happened on August 10th, 1512 when she
attacked the French flagship, forcing her out of the
battle with 300 dead and injured, apparently with a
single shot disabling her mast.
Mary Rose was a firm favorite of king Henry VIII.
Prior to the campaign of 1513, the King reviewed the
fleet at Greenwich. When the ships were
ordered to set all sail and race against each other,
Mary Rose outsailed all others. Writing to the
King afterwards from the Mary Rose, the captain
described her as... "Your good ship, the flower, I
trow, of all ships that ever sailed"...In
October 1525, the Mary Rose was in Deptford,
requiring caulking "from the keel up, both inside
and out". When the restoration completed in 1526 the
ship was recorded as being, "good for the wars or
else for the King's pleasure."
Mary Rose is now on display
in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard along with an
extensive collection of well preserved artifacts.
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