One of the most ambitious and significant heritage projects in recent years has been given the go-ahead by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), which has given full approval for a £21 million grant to the Mary Rose Trust to complete the conservation of the Tudor warship, the Mary Rose, and build a permanent museum for the ship and the artefacts in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
In addition, the Mary Rose Trust has raised almost £10 million of the final £35 million cost for the museum, which is due to open in 2012 in time for the Olympics. The green light means that the construction of the new museum, located alongside Nelson''s flagship, HMS Victory, can now proceed.
Visitors are being urged to view the hull of the famous warship before she is withdrawn, temporarily, from view in the autumn. The existing Mary Rose Museum will remain open throughout the construction phase and the hull will be interpreted imaginatively within, including a new introductory film, enhanced displays and time lapse photography. Details are now being finalised to launch a public fundraising appeal for the final £4 million next month.
The HLF has been an established supporter of the Mary Rose project, awarding almost £7 million over the last 15 years. The decision to award the £21 million grant finally secures a future for the Mary Rose.
Dame Jenny Abramsky, Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund said: “This is excellent news and means restoration work on the Mary Rose can now move up a gear. It''s also a key milestone for the Trust as part of a complex but hugely worthwhile journey to make this ambitious project a reality and enable many more of the ship''s artefacts to be viewed. We''re proud to be playing our part in safeguarding one of the UK''s most precious pieces of maritime heritage."
John Lippiett, Chief Executive of the Mary Rose Trust welcomed the news: "This is indeed great news. The Mary Rose has been described by historian Dr David Starkey as this country''s Pompeii, painting the finest picture of the world of sixteenth century life. The HLF has today demonstrated their real commitment to the nation''s heritage and ensured this truly unique ship and collection remains forever. When better to celebrate than during the month which marks the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII''s accession - we think he would be delighted!"
"The Mary Rose features highly on an international stage; the new museum will attract visitors from all over the world and our learning programme inspires children, students and community groups of all ages and abilities. Our call now is for people to help with the final push towards funding when we launch our fundraising appeal and to make sure that they visit the ship hall before the autumn if they''ve never had the chance to see the hull, before she''s withdrawn temporarily."
The new museum, designed by a team comprising Wilkinson Eyre Architects (architect), Pringle Brandon (interior design) and Land Design Studio (exhibition design and interpretation, in collaboration with Gifford (structural and M&E engineer,) will reunite the ship''s preserved hull with many thousands of artefacts unseen for over 500 years and enhance Portsmouth Historic Dockyard as a major visitor destination.
The hull of the Mary Rose will continue to be sprayed with polyethylene glycol, a water-based wax solution, behind closed doors, until April 2011. The new museum being built around her will be opened in 2012 and the hull will be carefully dried within the new museum until she can be displayed fully in 2016, when visitors will be able to walk through the display containing the Mary Rose.
