After more than 400 years at the bottom of the ocean, the<em> </em>Mary Rose, King Henry VIII's key warship, is the centerpiece of a new museum in Portsmouth, England, located at the same dockyard where it was built.
12 objects that tell the story of the Mary Rose —
After more than 400 years at the bottom of the ocean, the Mary Rose, King Henry VIII's key warship, is the centerpiece of a new museum in Portsmouth, England, located at the same dockyard where it was built.
courtesy mary rose trust
The Mary Rose carried numerous muzzle-loading bronze guns that were capable of shooting cast iron shot at 504 meters per second at long range. According to eyewitness accounts, these guns had just been fired when the ship sank.
Bronze guns —
The Mary Rose carried numerous muzzle-loading bronze guns that were capable of shooting cast iron shot at 504 meters per second at long range. According to eyewitness accounts, these guns had just been fired when the ship sank.
courtesy Hufton+Crow
Due to the difficulty of storing safe drinking water, one gallon of ale was allocated per crew member per day. Henry VIII built four brew houses in Portsmouth to supply his fleet. The remains of 17 relatively complete wooden drinking tankards, like the one pictured, have been recovered.
Drinking tankard —
Due to the difficulty of storing safe drinking water, one gallon of ale was allocated per crew member per day. Henry VIII built four brew houses in Portsmouth to supply his fleet. The remains of 17 relatively complete wooden drinking tankards, like the one pictured, have been recovered.
courtesy Hufton+Crow
More than 130 medieval longbows have been recovered from the<em> </em>Mary Rose. These are the only ones in existence from the time and their length demonstrates that an archer could pull more than twice as much weight as was previously thought possible.
Longbows —
More than 130 medieval longbows have been recovered from the Mary Rose. These are the only ones in existence from the time and their length demonstrates that an archer could pull more than twice as much weight as was previously thought possible.
courtesy Gareth Gardner
Remains of about 45% of the crew have been recovered. This skeleton belongs to an archer in his early twenties. He was taller than many of the crew, with strong legs and a twisted spine. One of his finger bones exhibits grooves probably made from repeatedly pulling a longbow string.
Skeletons —
Remains of about 45% of the crew have been recovered. This skeleton belongs to an archer in his early twenties. He was taller than many of the crew, with strong legs and a twisted spine. One of his finger bones exhibits grooves probably made from repeatedly pulling a longbow string.
courtesy Hufton+Crow
More than 80 combs were recovered from the Mary Rose, many with their owners, suggesting they were important items. The combs were used to remove nits and fleas -- some of those recovered still have the remains of nits visible on the teeth.
Combs —
More than 80 combs were recovered from the Mary Rose, many with their owners, suggesting they were important items. The combs were used to remove nits and fleas -- some of those recovered still have the remains of nits visible on the teeth.
courtesy Hufton+Crow
This shawm (an early form of oboe) is the only one of its kind in the world. Before this piece was discovered, the shawm was thought not to have been invented until 50 years after the Mary Rose sank. It would have been played by one of the ship's band, who regularly entertained the crew.
Musical instruments —
This shawm (an early form of oboe) is the only one of its kind in the world. Before this piece was discovered, the shawm was thought not to have been invented until 50 years after the Mary Rose sank. It would have been played by one of the ship's band, who regularly entertained the crew.
courtesy Gareth Gardner
The ship's barber surgeon used this bowl, along with a lancet, to drain blood when diagnosing illnesses onboard. The bowl was found in his cabin toward the stern of the ship. Pewter was a relatively expensive metal in the 16th century, signifying the barber surgeon's high status.
Blood bowl —
The ship's barber surgeon used this bowl, along with a lancet, to drain blood when diagnosing illnesses onboard. The bowl was found in his cabin toward the stern of the ship. Pewter was a relatively expensive metal in the 16th century, signifying the barber surgeon's high status.
courtesy Gareth Gardner
Peppercorns were an important flavoring during voyages with scant resources. As pepper was expensive (even being used to pay rent and dowries) this peppermill likely belonged to an officer.
Peppermill —
Peppercorns were an important flavoring during voyages with scant resources. As pepper was expensive (even being used to pay rent and dowries) this peppermill likely belonged to an officer.
courtesy Hufton+Crow
The Mary Rose sank during the time when Henry VIII was banning Catholicism in England, but rosary beads weren't yet illegal. As the Mary Rose was the King's ship it's assumed that rosary beads were still in regular use at this time.
Rosary beads —
The Mary Rose sank during the time when Henry VIII was banning Catholicism in England, but rosary beads weren't yet illegal. As the Mary Rose was the King's ship it's assumed that rosary beads were still in regular use at this time.
courtesy Gareth Gardner
This steering compass sat on gimbals to keep it level as the ship moved. It was found in the pilot's cabin and is the earliest known gimbaled compass in the Western world. No deep sea navigation equipment was found onboard the ship, but it's known that the pilot could measure time, distance and direction.
Steering compass —
This steering compass sat on gimbals to keep it level as the ship moved. It was found in the pilot's cabin and is the earliest known gimbaled compass in the Western world. No deep sea navigation equipment was found onboard the ship, but it's known that the pilot could measure time, distance and direction.
courtesy Gareth Gardner
The Mary Rose didn't carry a list of names, just numbers, but this wooden bowl has been engraved with what is thought to be a name -- Ny Coop. He's believed to have been the ship's cook and would have been responsible for feeding more than 400 men several times a day and preparing elaborate meals for the officers.
Wooden bowl —
The Mary Rose didn't carry a list of names, just numbers, but this wooden bowl has been engraved with what is thought to be a name -- Ny Coop. He's believed to have been the ship's cook and would have been responsible for feeding more than 400 men several times a day and preparing elaborate meals for the officers.
courtesy Hufton+Crow
This large brick oven was found in the galley down in the hold. Food was cooked in it inside a large cauldron supported by iron bars. Casks containing the bones of cows and pigs were found nearby.
Brick oven —
This large brick oven was found in the galley down in the hold. Food was cooked in it inside a large cauldron supported by iron bars. Casks containing the bones of cows and pigs were found nearby.
courtesy Hufton+Crow
12 objects that tell the story of the Mary Rose

Story highlights

The Mary Rose sank July 19, 1545, in the English Channel during a battle with the French

Hundreds of recovered items tell the story of Tudor life at sea

The Mary Rose Museum opens May 31

CNN  — 

Nit infestations, beer instead of water, a band for entertainment – life on the Mary Rose, the flagship of King Henry VIII’s fleet, which sank during battle in July 1545, wasn’t all about crashing cannon fire and men being swept overboard, as novels and Hollywood like to depict.

The 16th-century warship sank on July 19, 1545, in the English Channel during a battle with the French.

Now, nearly 500 years later and 31 years after it was raised from the bottom of the English Channel, the ship will go on show in a museum in the same British dockyard where it was built.

Some 60 million people watched the Mary Rose emerge from the water on live television in 1982.

Today the secrets of life onboard can be seen in a new £27 million ($40 million) museum in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. Other costs incurred in the salvage and conservation of the fragile ship take the total expenditure past £35 million.

The remains of the hull are displayed on one side, while hundreds of the objects found onboard are displayed opposite, organized by deck.

The museum tells the story of life onboard a 16th-century warship and is dedicated to the approximately 400 men who lost their lives on the ship.

The Mary Rose Museum opens on May 31. Tickets are available from www.historicdockyard.co.uk and cost £17 ($26). An all-attraction ticket that also includes entry to the dockyard’s other attractions is £26.

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