In the murky depths of the Solent, Henry VIII’s beloved ship lay waiting for 437 years
Blood-curdling screams could be heard for miles around the Solent as Henry VIII’s favourite warship, the Mary Rose, began to sink. The men on board desperately tried to clamber upwards to avoid the water as it burst through the hull, hoping that they could save themselves. But more tragedy awaited them as the heavy netting that covered the entire upper deck, designed to protect the ship and its men from enemy boarding, now prevented their escape. Condemned to their watery graves, only 35 men survived out of the hundreds who were on board. With the approaching 35th anniversary of the raising of the Mary Rose, we take a look back at its story from its creation and sinking to its rediscovery and the project that brought it back to the surface.
Time at sea
It was clear to Henry VIII when he became king in 1509 that England needed to expand its repertoire of warships in order to keep up with the likes of France and Spain. Production for the Mary Rose, along with its sister ship, the Peter Pomegranate, first began sometime in 1510, just a year into Henry’s reign.
The choice of ‘Mary Rose’ as a name has intrigued many for centuries. It is often assumed that the ship was named after Henry’s sister Mary, although there is no direct evidence to support this. It is more likely that it was named in honour of the Virgin Mary, who was often referred to as ‘Mary the Mystic Rose’ during this period.
Built in the style of a carrack, the Mary Rose soon became Henry’s favourite flagship under the command of the lord high admiral, Sir Edward Howard. It first saw battle in 1512 during the War of the League of Cambrai, where the English had formed a joint alliance with Spain against the French.
The following year, the Mary Rose took part in a race against the other ships of the English fleet and was one of the fastest. It went on to encounter the French again at Brest, but this time it was a disaster and resulted in Howard’s untimely death after he fatefully boarded the French galleys and became separated from his men.
