Mary Rose

The only surviving 16th century warship on display anywhere in the world, the Mary Rose was one of the earliest ships to carry heavy guns.  A favourite of King Henry VIII, she sank off Portsmouth in 1545 during an engagement with a French invasion fleet, in full view of the King, the screams of the men onboard, ringing in his ears.

The rediscovery of the Mary Rose during the 1970s and her raising in 1982 were seminal events in the history of nautical archaeology, watched by a worldwide audience of over 60 million people and remembered by a generation.

The hull of the Mary Rose, which is currently undergoing an active conservation process to preserve her for all time, can be viewed by the visiting public.  Thousands of personal, domestic and military objects were recovered, many of which are on display in the Mary Rose Museum, a truly unique and fascinating insight into Tudor times.

For a wealth of information including memories, pictures and footage of the raising, please visit the BBC Hampshire website by clicking here.