The Mary Rose was a warship and the flagship of the English Tudor navy of King Henry VIII. She served the English navy for 33 years in wars against Scotland, Brittany, and France. It was during an attack on the French navy that she sank in the Solent, the straits north of the Isle of Wight. Out of a crew of at least 400 men, less than 35 survived.
In 1971 she was discovered, and in 1982 she was excavated and salvaged. Over the years items such as cannons, sailing equipment, and naval supplies have been found. In 2003, an unassuming piece of wood was recovered. After 10 years, the piece of would was identified as the Tudor rose emblem that would have inspired the crew as they sailed into battle.
The Mary Rose has been on display in the Mary Rose Museum since 1984. Tomorrow, after a museum revitalization project, the museum will re-open with the Mary Rose and her newly restored Tudor rose emblem on display together for the first time in over 450 years.
If you want to learn more about Mary Rose, her construction, operation, rescue and restoration, pick up this book today: Mary Rose – King Henry VIII’s warship 1510-45
For more information on the Tudor rose emblem you can read Hannah Furness’ article in the Telegraph.co.uk, here.
For more information on the Mary Rose and the Mary Rose Museum, check our this BBC article, here.
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