The "Mary Rose": Your Noblest Shippe : Anatomy of a Tudor Warship

The Mary Rose was one of the first great British warships.

She was built at a time of rapid change and development in both the design and construction of ships, and of the first inter-continental ocean voyages.

The rapid sinking of the ship meant that a huge amount of ships equipment was trapped within the hull, presenting, for the first time, detailed information about methods of steering the ship, mooring, navigating, running repairs and removing water.

The masts and much of the rigging have not survived but pulley blocks and other fittings for attaching and hoisting the rigging were remarkably well preserved and tell a great deal about the operation of a multi-mast, ocean-going sixteenth century vessel.

Your Noblest Shippe examines the structure and operation of the Mary Rose from evidence for how she was built, rebuilt and repaired, through a reconstruction of the ship in 1545.

The volume effectively takes the reader on a tour of the vessel, deck by deck, explaining the layout, construction and function of each, based on the archaeological evidence.

Also considered is how she was operated, and the still controversial issue of why she sank.Her significance to the history of shipbuilding, seafaring and ship handling and her role as a fighting ship are also discussed.