A two-year old mongrel who sailed aboard the ill-fated Mary Rose is returning home to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and the Mary Rose Museum after an incredible 465 years away.
The painstakingly preserved and reconstructed skeleton of the Mary Rose’s dog will be back amongst her familiar Portsmouth surroundings and the many sights and smells she would recognise from onboard the Mary Rose, as she goes on display alongside them from Friday 26th March.
Staff at the Mary Rose Trust named the old sea dog ‘Hatch’ as she was discovered trapped in the sliding door of the carpenter’s cabin of the Mary Rose where she had lain since the ship sank in mysterious circumstances in 1545. She may have been a pet but is more likely to have earned her keep as a ratter – Tudor seafarers did not allow cats on board ship as they were thought to bring bad luck.
It is expected that Hatch will capture the hearts and imaginations of children as they visit the museum to discover the history of Henry VIII''s famous warship and uncover the truth about what happened to the crew and their dog.
John Lippiett (Chief Executive of the Mary Rose Trust and Hatch’s guardian) said: “We are very excited to bring our dog into the museum for the first time, because the public – especially children – have always been particularly fascinated to learn that one had been discovered during the excavation.
“Expert analysis of Hatch’s bones suggests that she spent most of her short life within the close confines of the ship. It is likely that the longest walks she took were along the quayside at Portsmouth, her home town.
“Hatch is just one of 19,000 extraordinary Tudor treasures recovered with the wreck of the Mary Rose, but she has never been on display in Portsmouth simply because we have not had the room.
“All that is set to change with the building of a new permanent Mary Rose museum, bringing together the remains of the ship itself with the pick of her artefacts, displayed at last in their historic context.”
Other original Tudor artefacts on display in the current vast collection of over 1000 items at the Mary Rose Museum include clothing, jewellery, personal possessions, money, domestic utensils, furniture, musical instruments, medical equipment, navigational apparatus, weapons, tools, rigging and wood from the ship. Plus, for the eagle-eyed visitor there is also another doggy treasure – a tile was found with a dog’s paw print, which would have been made as the tile was put out to dry in the sun!
Having been nationally recognised as a ‘Family Friendly Museum’, this attraction is a must-see and Hatch’s arrival highlights that although the Ship Hall housing the wreck of the Mary Rose is currently closed, the museum remains open as usual with a unique exhibition that is being continually improved to enhance the experience of its many thousands of visitors.
The Mary Rose sank in 1545 in the Battle of the Solent. She was raised in 1982 with her artefact collection presenting a unique time capsule and one of the world’s most precious heritage icons.
The Mary Rose 500 Appeal are fundraising to give Hatch a permanent home and ensure she is isn’t lost for another 500 years. To find out more about the appeal to secure the building of the new Mary Rose Museum to open in 2012 - visit www.maryrose500.org
Images courtesy of the Mary Rose Trust
Editor’s notes:
Ticket and visiting information is available on www.historicdockyard.co.uk
