Pirates & Privateers: Peter Marsden's Books

This lavishly produced book has several stories to tell. The first relates the history of Mary Rose herself, from design and build to her tragic end. Next is the story of the wreck and recovery. Then there is an archaeological reconstruction of the decks and various places of the ship, with a complete description of where and what artifacts and bodies are found within the sunken ship.

Unfamiliar with the ship’s history prior to the sinking, I was surprised to read Mary Rose was part of a fleet that attacked Boulogne, France, in 1512. Within a few years, the ship was placed in ordinary, meaning she was stripped of masts, sails, and guns until the vessel was needed again. “In 1514, the Mary Rose had five anti-ship guns, seven smaller ones, and many anti-personnel weapons, whereas in 1545 she had twenty-six anti-ship guns, 12 smaller guns, and fifty-three anti-personnel guns.” (63)

In 1535, Mary Rose was modernized. “Her bow and stern ends were completely rebuilt,” and the keel was lengthened to support a vessel of 700 to 800 tons, an increase of 200 to 300 tons. (55) Her hull and deck supports were also strengthened before adding more cannons to her armament. The addition of twenty-one cannons weighing hundreds of pounds each and positioning them throughout the ship drastically altered the ship’s balance and increased her draft, making the hull sit deeper in the water.

Tensions between England and France flared up again in the 1540s. On 19 July 1545, a French fleet sailed past the Isle of Wight and was surprised to find the English fleet at anchor. The French admiral ordered his galleys to launch an attack. The Battle of the Solent had begun.

One of the anchored ships was Mary Rose. Her crew hurried to raise sails and prepare for action. Once underway, the gunports were opened and the cannons were loaded and run out. As she neared the galleys, a gust of wind caused her to heel further to starboard. With only sixteen inches between the waterline and the bottom of the gunports, the extra heeling action caused ocean water to pour into the lower deck. The weight of the water continued the unbalanced ship’s tilt and she capsized, sinking in minutes.

Within a year of the sinking, a mostly unsuccessful attempt was made to salvage some of the guns. In 1782, Royal George sank nearby. In 1836 ,John Deane used a primitive diving bell to explore that ship. He recorded the positions of the sunken Royal George and Mary Rose on a chart of the area, which was then tucked away along with other records of the Royal Navy. A diving historian found the chart in 1966, and rediscovered the location of Mary Rose.

The story of the ship’s recovery includes careful planning from the first attempts to locate the wreck through careful underwater examination and documentation. Before they can recover her, the British Parliament and royal family become involved. The group of historians and archaeologists studying the wreck also have to determine how to tell her story. They founded the Mary Rose Trust to help carry out their plan. In 2013, the Mary Rose Museum opens to the public.

Six chapters of this book are devoted to describing the different decks and spaces of Mary Rose, including where every artifact is found and what happens in the space during the ship’s sinking. There is also a description of where the remains of each person are found and what the bones and artifacts reveal about the people, such as age and any signs of wear and tear from the harsh life of a sailor.

Use of glossy paper enhances the many color illustrations and diagrams found throughout the book. A very readable text is enriched with endnotes, a bibliography, and two appendices, one on the ship’s components and another on the locations and conditions of crew members who went down with the vessel.

There is a wealth of knowledge in this book from building wooden warships, early sea battles, European history and archaeology to naval administration and anatomy. Together they tell a fascinating story of one special ship and the crew that manned her.

Meet the author
Visit the museum