The New Mary Rose Museum Press Pack 2014

Contents page:

1. Supporter Quotes

2. The New Mary Rose Museum – First year facts and figures

3. The Mary Rose timeline

4. The Mary Rose Did You Know….

5. The 16th century in 16 objects from The Mary Rose

6. Discoveries that made or rewrote history

7. Science and conservation discoveries

8. Meet the Mary Rose crew members

9. Conservation of the Mary Rose

10. Spokespeople at the Mary Rose Museum

11. Images of the Mary Rose Museum

12. Hospitality and Events at the Mary Rose Museum

13. Online Shop

14. About Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Supporter Quotes:

Dr David Starkey: "The Mary Rose is the English Pompeii, preserved by water, not fire. All Tudor life is there;

it is like stepping inside a Holbein painting."

David Dimbleby: “The Mary Rose is far more than the museum of a ship, magnificent though this ship was.

It is a brilliantly preserved snapshot of life in Tudor Times in all its aspects, recovered from the sea bed.

Here are Tudor nit combs (complete with dead nits) long bows, leather shoes, and cutlery. With its

neighbours HMS Victory and HMS Warrior it also gives an insight into how naval warfare developed over

nearly four centuries to protect our islands.”

John Bly: “The Mary Rose Museum is the closest thing to time-travel I have ever experienced. Tudor life

surrounds you and welcomes you in. The display of these unique historical artefacts is so thoughtfully

organised as to be captivating, informative and enjoyable for every age group, whether novice or

knowledgeable.”

Sandy Toksvig: “The new Mary Rose museum is one of the most exciting history projects ever to open in

the UK. It is so wonderful to see the crew of that fated ship honoured in such a wonderful way. As you

walk the length of the ship you don't just see what life was like for a Tudor seaman, you feel as though you

are experiencing it as well. At last the men of the Mary Rose can stand tall and tell us their story. It is a

privilege to hear it.”

The New Mary Rose Museum – First year facts and figures

Visitor records: Portsmouth Historic Dockyard will see over 720,000 visitors for 2013-14 The Mary Rose Museum originally projected to bring an additional 75,000 people to the site when they did the original Heritage Lottery Fund bid Since opening at the end of May 2013, the current visitor attendance is 450,000. 8th October 2013 – Mary Rose hit 250,000 visitor mark The Mary Rose Museum achieved 100,000 visitors on the 27th July 2013. The 30th of May 2013 saw an opening fit for Henry VIII himself - and the world was watching; Our international coverage reached 904 million people globally, and included features from CNN and NBC in America, Central China News, Deutschland Radio, Channel One Russia and Japan’s Chunichi Shimbun. 15,000 school children have attended the learning centre from 2013. Award records: Awards Won

UK Top Tourism Project 2013 - British Guild of Travel Writers

Image Winner for the greatest contribution to improving Portsmouth’s image - Shaping the future of Portsmouth

Silver award for the Best Educational Product - British Youth Travel Awards

Large Visitor Attraction gold medal winner for the Portsmouth Historical Dockyard - The Beautiful South Awards for Excellence 2013 – 2014

Civic Trust Award winner 2014

Michael Middleton Special Award winner 2014

Lighting Design Awards (DHA) for best public building

Building Magazine Project of the Year

RICS South East Awards: Design Through Innovation (1 May 2014)

RICS South East Awards: Tourism and Leisure (1 May 2014)

RIBA South East (8 May)

Museums + Heritage 2x Awards (Permanent Exhibition & Conservation Project) (14 May)

Award Shortlists

Shortlisted for Art Fund Prize - Museum of the Year Award 2014 (9 July)

Shortlisted for Construction News Awards 2014 (17 July)

Timber Research & Development Association -Wood Award

ICE South East England Engineering Excellence Awards (Bouygues UK)

Online records: Website - The 29th of May saw an increase to 1,770 from 977 the day before, increasing to 14,738 on the day of the launch. This may have been higher but our website exceeded its bandwidth, causing issues. There was a slow decrease in the stats, 4,684 on the 31st, then a jump over the weekend, 6,331 and 6,495, before returning to between 4,000-2,000. Since then, it's rarely been less than 1,000 a day. On Facebook The daily reach increased from 6,047 on the 29th to 36,742 on the Launch Day, 20,234 on the opening day, then fluctuating from 8,899 to 11,575, 7,318 to 1,249. The day of the launch saw a gain of 350 fans, with another 232 over the next seven days. Total figures include: 5,259. Twitter – Current twitter following includes 6,538.

The Mary Rose timeline

1509. The Mary Rose is ordered by the newly crowned King Henry VIII.

1510. Construction began in Portsmouth. The Mary Rose was built almost on the exact same location

where she now rests. She was one of the first ships in England to be carvel, rather than, clinker built. Her

construction would have required around 600 large Oak trees - about 16 hectares (40 acres) of woodland.

It is likely her rigging and masts were fitted out in London.

1511. The Mary Rose is launched. Her first voyage is to London for final fitting out.

1512-1514. The Mary Rose – flagship of King Henry VIII’s fleet - fights her first battle leading an attack on a

French fleet. Her captain called her ‘The noblest ship of sail’.

1520. The Mary Rose formed part of Henry's escort when he crossed the English Channel to meet the

French King, Francis I. This meeting, just outside of Calais at what was known as the Field of the Cloth of

Gold, was aimed at bringing a lasting peace. But, such diplomatic efforts were short-lived. Just two years

later the countries were again at war.

1522. 30 June, the Mary Rose led the English fleet towards France and three days later they captured the

French port of Morlaix.

1524. The Mary Rose was moored in Portsmouth Harbour along with ten other warships, ready for action

as required.

1526/27. Preparations are made in 1526 for the Mary Rose’s refit when the King purchased 9 acres of land

to dig out a new dock and to build storehouses. Her refit takes place in the summer of 1527.

1536. The Mary Rose undergoes a further refit which may have included reinforcing. This was at the same

period that Henry VIII was dissolving the monasteries, which brought him much-needed revenue that may

have helped fund this work.

1545. 19 July, the Battle of the Solent. The Mary Rose, under the command of Sir George Carew, sinks

during the afternoon while leading the attack on the French invasion fleet. King Henry VIII, along with the

wife of Sir George Carew watches the battle from Southsea Castle. The screams of the drowning sailors can

be heard on land and the loss of the Mary Rose deeply affects the King and the country.

1545-1549. Following her sinking, expert Venetian salvors attempt to raise the wreck. Although

unsuccessful, they do recover sails, parts of the masts and the rigging. Some of her guns are raised in

further salvage work through to 1549, but the ship then lays undisturbed for almost 300 years.

1836. Early pioneering divers, John and Charles Deane, rediscover the wreck site and raise items including a

number of guns using explosives. The Mary Rose is then lost again for over 100 years.

1965. The search for the Mary Rose begins, led by the late British military historian and amateur diver

Alexander McKee.

1967. Sonar investigations locate a large anomaly beneath the seabed and the Mary Rose (1967)

Committee was formed.

1970. Iron gun similar to those recovered by John Deane found

1971. Diver Percy Ackland sees the first exposed timbers and the site is identified as the ‘Mary Rose’.

1974. The Mary Rose was designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act.

1979 The Mary Rose Trust was formed with the remit "to find, excavate, raise and preserve for all time such

remains of the ship Mary Rose as may be of historical or archaeological interest"

1979-1982 Maritime Archaeologist Margaret Rule leads the project to excavate the ships’ content. In total

over 19,000 artefacts were brought ashore and almost 28,000 dives were carried out in what is known as

the world’s largest underwater excavation. It is estimated over 60 million people worldwide watch the

wreck being raised live on television. The hull was subsequently towed into the same dry dock where she

now rests. The hull starts being sprayed continually with recycled, fresh water at a temperature of less than

5oC to stop the wood drying out and to inhibit bacterial activity.

1985. The hull is turned upright and a series of Titanium props are installed to support the internal

structure. This enables the archaeologists to begin to replace some of over 3,000 timbers which have been

recovered underwater. The longest was a plank seven metres long, while the largest single element was the

rudder which weighed 750 kilograms.

1994-2013. On 30 September 1994 active conservation work commences on the hull of the ship, which is

sprayed with Polyethlene Glycol (PEG) a water-soluble wax. This is a two stage process allowing the wax to

penetrate deep into the core of the wood and then to seal the surface of the wood.

2003-2005. Funded by the MoD, divers return to the wreck site for three dive seasons. On 11 October 2005

(23 years to the day since the raising of the hull) a further anchor is raised from the wreck site along with

the 10 metre long stem post.

2008. The Heritage Lottery Fund earmarks a £21 million grant to complete the conservation of the ship and

build a permanent museum.

2009. On 20 September the Mary Rose ship hall closed to visitors for work to begin on the new museum

2010. On 11 October, 28 years to the day of the raising of the Mary Rose, the construction of the new

museum begins.

2013. New Mary Rose Museum opens to the public on 31 May. The final stage of hull conservation will

commence. This involves fabric ducts directing, in a highly sophisticated pattern of dried air at exact

temperatures across all parts of the hull. Around 100 tons of water needs to be removed meaning that this

air drying phase is expected to last for 4 to 5 years.

The Mary Rose Did You Know….

Thought you knew the Mary Rose? Think again…

1. Contrary to popular belief, the Mary Rose did not sink on her maiden voyage. She was in service for 34

years; which happens to be the same amount of time it will take to conserve the hull.

2. The Mary Rose captures a turning point in naval warfare. Gunpowder was replacing muscle power.

She was the first ship to be able to fire a broadside, but one of the last to have archers shooting

longbows.

3. Historians still do not know exactly what caused the Mary Rose to sink... A survivor clearly states that

the ship had fired her guns on one side and was turning to fire from the other side when the wind

caught her and plunged her open gunports below the water which sank her. No more than 35 survived.

4. The Anthony Roll inventory of 1546 lists the 415 operational crew as 185 soldiers, 200 marines and 30

gunners. Some of these were as young as 10 years of age. The excavation of the Mary Rose remains

the largest maritime excavation ever. Between 1979 and 1982 almost 28,000 dives were carried out

involving over 600 volunteer divers. Many more volunteers on shore helped with the work as the ship

was excavated, recorded, and decks, cabins, and bulkheads were surveyed and brought ashore timber

by timber. In total they spent over 11.5 years diving and collecting over 19,000 artefacts. Absolutely

everything on view in the new museum is original, including the wooden gun carriages and the bricks

for the reconstructed galley (oven).

5. The Museum will contain one of the largest environmentally controlled display cases in the world

containing the mirror image of the starboard side of the hull. The new, state of the art building uses

8,000 metres of copper piping, 15,000 metres of steel, 400,000 metres of electric cabling and 2,835 red

cedar planks

6. A sailor from the Mary Rose, could easily have worked on HMS Victory (1805) - much of the navigation

and other technology between the two ships remains largely the same demonstrating just how

advanced the Tudor navy was.

7. Some of objects are marked 'H' - for Henry VIII, his property - while others are marked with a "broad

arrow" same as the MoD today."

8. The new Mary Rose Museum is dedicated to those who lost their lives when the Mary Rose sank.

9. The Museum is located close to where the Mary Rose was built over 500 years ago.

The 16th century in 16 objects from The Mary Rose

The Mary Rose is a Tudor time capsule - ‘Britain’s Pompeii’, says historian David Starkey. The wreck

contains the most significant collection of Tudor artefacts anywhere in the world. These artefacts are

important not only for understanding naval warfare and life onboard a Tudor fighting ship, but also because

of the insight they provide into Tudor life as it was on 16 July 1545.

A snapshot of the 16th century with 16 objects from the Mary Rose:

Food – Pewter and Wooden Spoons

Only six personal spoons were recovered from the Mary Rose, three

pewter and three wooden, all between 14 and 15 cm long. This

small number may be due to the small size of the spoons meaning

that after the sinking many simply floated away, or were made of a

more perishable material. The pewter spoons would have belonged

to Officers, and all more-or less resemble the one in the picture, and

have a high tin/low lead content, suggesting they are of English

manufacture. The wooden spoons were made of Maple, and were

used by the ordinary crew. One of the examples has a personal mark

on it, so they were the crews’ personal property, rather than ship's

issue.

Drink – gallon of ale per crew member – due to difficultly of storing

water

Remains of 17 relatively complete wooden drinking tankards have

been recovered. Henry built four brew houses in Portsmouth to

“service” his fleet.

Medicine and health - Pewter Bleeding Bowl and Syringe

Both these pewter items were found in the Barber Surgeons cabin,

towards the stern of the Mary Rose, and one of only three cabins

identified from the remains. Pewter was a relatively expensive

metal, so the Barber Surgeon was certainly a man of high status!

When you think of Tudor medicine, most people immediately think

of leeches, but sometimes leeches weren't the most effective

method of bloodletting. In these cases, blood would be extracted

using a tool called a Lancet, or Fleem, a small triangular blade which

would be inserted into the vein, which would be drained into a

bleeding bowl like the one above. This blood could them be

examined, allowing the surgeon to make a diagnosis.

Despite what you may have read elsewhere, the pewter syringe

wasn't used for the administering of Mercury, while this was used as

a treatment for certain diseases if it was placed in a pewter syringe

the mercury would just dissolve it. Instead, mercury would be

administered with a syringe made of bone or horn. While small

traces of mercury were found in the Barber Surgeon's chest, there

was no sign of bone or horn syringes, nor of the sorts of diseases

that require mercury on the bones of the crew.

Pewter syringes were used for the administration of non-corrosive

fluids, such as rosewater, or acidic ones such as wine or vinegar,

used for flushing out wounds.

Clothes – Tudor Shoes

While these may look like modern-day slippers, they are in fact

working men's shoes. The slit in the shoe may be ornamental, as

slashed clothing was very popular in Tudor times, but the slashing

may be partially for comfort as well as a fashion

There are a couple of differences between these and modern shoes,

the most obvious being the lack of a grip on the bottom. Also, there

was no designated left or right shoe, both shoes were the same

shape, and could be worn on either foot! Not very comfortable, but

if one shoe starts to wear out more than the other, you can swap

them over and lengthen their useful life. There are 331 individual

items of footwear, complete pairs equals 289

For those rich enough to afford them, there were stylish boots.

Made of finest leather, some padded with straw for comfort, they

were designed as a statement of wealth, not for day-to-day wear on

a working ship.

Grooming and hygiene- nit combs

A total of 82 combs were recovered. They were widely distributed

around the ship, many with their owners and relatively few inside

chests. Thousands of these combs were imported from the

continent at this time. They were used to remove nits and fleas as

well as to style hair. We even have nits in some of them. Most

commonly they were made out of boxwood but one is made from

elephant ivory.

England imported large numbers of these from the continent –

showing the importance of trade not only for needed resources, but

for accessories (also sundials).

Entertainment – musical instruments

At least 10 musical instruments were present on the Mary Rose

when she sank but those recovered include two fiddles, a bow, still

shawmn, three tabor pipes and a tabor (drum). They are likely to

have been brought aboard for several purposes – for entertainment

as well as for duties performed by the crew.

Surviving instruments from this period are rare and of great

historical importance. What makes the Mary Rose’s musical

instruments of supreme value is not just that they are unique but

that so many survive and fill gaps in our knowledge. Without the

Mary Rose we should have no certainty that such things had ever

existed.

Leisure – Tables Set with Counters

Found in the Carpenter's cabin, this hinged Tabula, made of Oak,

with Larch (darker) and Yew (lighter) inlay, is the forerunner to a

Backgammon board. The counters are made of Poplar, and although

only eight were found, each player would have started with fifteen.

The hinges have rusted away, but would have been made of iron.

Even though there are some issues with the length of the inlays

(they are much longer on the right than the left), the craftsmanship

involved in making this would suggest this was a high-status item,

certainly not the sort of thing your ordinary sailor could afford. We

know that other games were played, crudely scratched onto boards

and even barrel lids, so when the crew weren't hard at work, they

clearly had some time to play. Indeed, Tables was a game that could

go on for quite some time...

Social status – Bosun's Call

Five of these whistles were found on the Mary Rose, all made of

silver. This particular example was found down on the Orlop deck,

complete with its silk halter.

Contrary to popular belief, these calls were not exclusive to Bosuns;

the presence of only silver calls may suggest these were badges of

office for a high-ranking officer. Admiral George Carew,

commanding officer of the Mary Rose when she sank, was

apparently presented with a gold call, although this item has not

been recovered.

Weapons – the Mary Rose at the crux of gunpowder over muscle

power

The diversity of weapons carried mark a ship in transition. She still

carried weapons common in medieval warfare, the longbow and

huge incendiary fire arrows. Some of her guns were still made of

strips of iron, heated and hammered into shape. But alongside

these she carried a formidable array of muzzle loading bronze guns,

capable of shooting cast iron shot at 504 mps at long range These

guns rested on wheeled wooden carriages situated at gun bays with

sealing lids, a type of weapon and carriage which remained for the

next 300 years. Some of her smaller guns were cast in iron, and

mark the first attempts to mass produce cast iron guns. She also

carried the newest Italian handguns and the only examples of

shields fitted with small hand guns found in a military context. Like

the ship herself, modified over many years of service, a number of

the weapons carried were the last of their kind in use in a military

context, whilst some marked the first generation of weapons which

were to endure until the sailing warship herself became surpassed.

Religion - Rosary beads

Evidence for up to 10 paternosters were found in the wreck. The

Mary Rose was built and crewed during the time of the disillusion of

the monasteries and the banning of Catholicism in the UK by Henry

VIII. Rosaries – used as a way of counting prayers in a cycle – were

not yet banned in 1545 but their use for the mechanical repetition

of prayers was condemned. Most rosaries have round beads, but

two have more unusual ships. The large cone-shaped beads on two

rosaries have three dots drilled into them – representing the

Christian Trinity. One rosary includes beads of silver, larger brass

beads and smaller beads of pink and white coral and stone.

In 1538, injunctions of Henry VIII's religious reforms banned people

using the rosary to pray mechanically and in 1547 all use of the

rosary was condemned. Lay people possessing them were to be

warned by the clergy. Yet in 1545 this rosary was on board the Mary

Rose - the King's ship - and we can assume the beads were still in

use. Was the owner still a practising Catholic - or just someone who

had been praying with a rosary for so many years that he was not

going to stop praying that way even if he could get in trouble if

discovered? Had the Mary Rose not sunk that day in July 1545 his

secret would have stayed with him.

The rosary offers us an insight into this tumultuous period of history

including Henry VIII's break with Rome.

Navigation – Dividers

These brass 'singlehander' dividers, which were probably made in

the Netherlands, were found in an enclosed area towards the bow

of the Mary Rose in a fitted wooden case. The presence of these, as

well as other navigational equipment, tell us that the Pilot, or

navigator, was considered important enough to warrant his own

cabin.

Although they also suggest the use of charts (none were found,

although some rods have been claimed to be "chart sticks", rods

used to weight the ends of the charts down), it does not mean they

were in use at the time of the Mary Rose's sinking. In Tudor times,

coastal navigation was based on visual cues, charts being used either

for general reference or as a symbol of prestige.

Engineering – the Mary Rose was the first ship to be carvel not

clinker built.

The Mary Rose was part of the first generation of ships to have

gunports with lids. This is one of the things that revolutionised

warfare at sea – ability to bring heavy guns lower in the hull

therefore more layers of heavy guns possible. This happened during

the life of the Mary Rose and is demonstrated by a change in

weapons shown in the inventories for 1514 and 1540/1546 and

backed by tree ring dating which proves that extensive changes

were made to her structure.

Education – Leather Book Cover

This Calfskin Leather Book cover would have belonged to an officer,

due to literacy not being high amongst the ordinary sailors, plus the

price of books meant only the rich could afford them. It is one of

only two covers found on the Mary Rose to incorporate human

likenesses within the design. Within small panels on the front and

back are the letters "MD", originally assumed to represent 1500 in

Roman numerals, but now believed to represent Martin Doture, a

London-based bookbinder and stationer during the period 1527–57.

Some of these may be bibles, perhaps some of the first in English.

Following Henry’s break with Rome, England now had its own

national Church, and started to develop its own distinctive

confession of faith and forms of worship. Newly translated English

bibles were printed, authorised by the King and ordered to be

placed in every parish church, so in many ways Henry was directly

responsible for the dominance of the English language and the

growth of the English national identity.

Furniture – the first four-legged stool

This is the oldest dated example of this type of stool in the world

and was found next to the ovens. Although it makes a good seat,

the cut marks on it show that the Cook also used it as a chopping

block.

Decoration - Oak Carved Panel

This rare carved panel was found in the Bowcastle area, and depicts

a coifed female head in profile. The arch above the head is typical of

the "Romayne" style, typical of the first half of the 16th century.

While it is possible that this may have been part of the ship, as there

was a fashion for decorating warships with ornate decoration, it's

considered more likely that this would have been part of an item of

furniture.

Naval tactics – anti-boarding netting

The Ship’s anti-boarding netting caused the death of many on board.

The sinking of the Rose caused the Navy to rethink its tactics and

design – no more close fighting, but broadsides.

Discoveries that made or rewrote history

The Mary Rose marks a turning point in history. She was the first ship to be able to fire a broadside, but one

of the last to use archers and longbows to shoot arrows. Following her loss, the Navy redesigned their ships

to make them less top heavy (reducing the forecastles) and also altered their tactics to fight in open water.

Objects that made or rewrote history:

Objects that caused historians to think again about when they thought inventions or discoveries where

made in history:

A gimbal compass: The steering compasses from the Mary Rose are the earliest known surviving in the

Western world. A magnetised iron needle would have been present, stuck beneath the card which showed

all points North, South, East and West. It sat in its case suspended on gimbals, pivots made of brass. These

enabled it to swing freely with the motion of the ship, keeping the compass level.

Longbow: The collection of longbows (over 130 complete) along with the arrows in their chests, or within

spacers holding 24 arrows together with wristguards and archers’ leather jerkins provide the only evidence

for archery in England in the period. Longbows were still important weapons at sea in this period, all

vessels carried longbows, however within 50 years the bow was obsolete as a weapon at sea.

The boxwood Still Shawm, or Douçaine: The only one of its kind anywhere in the world, not thought to be

existence until 50 years after the Mary Rose until this one was discovered. It differs from the ordinary

shawm as it has a thumbhole and a decorated cylindrical bore, which produces a softer sound more like a

clarinet. It's rather large, at over a metre long, and you need quite large hands to reach all the holes! It also

splits into two just above the bore for storage, as it as found inside the remains of a case in such a state.

The sound has been compared to that of an oboe, the Still Shawm was a popular instrument at the time,

and would have been part of a band on board the Mary Rose, providing musical entertainment for the

crew.

Hailshot piece: Four small cast iron guns are all that remain of the 20 ‘hailshot pieces’ listed for the ship.

With a rectangular bore these anti-personnel weapons were designed to scatter dice of iron at close range.

These unusual weapons are visible proof of the first attempts to mass produce cast guns in iron rather than

in bronze. At this time the copper for bronze guns had to be imported making these very expensive. By the

time Henry’s daughter Elizabeth was on the throne, England was casting large numbers of big iron guns.

Basket Hilt Sword: A single complete sword was found buried under the ship, uniquely preserved. The

form of hand guard is like a basket. The origin of this form of hilt has long been in dispute, the precise

dating of this specific advanced form of basket-hilt from the Mary Rose now secures an English origin.

Science and conservation discoveries

The conservation of the Mary Rose is recognised around the world as pioneering archaeological and

conservation techniques.

Facial reconstructions

Using techniques more often found in forensic examinations of crime scenes, the reconstruction of the

faces of nine of the 179 individuals represented by the skeletal remains have been undertaken. Traditional

techniques to determine the age and sex of the each individual was determined by studying all the bones

present for each individual. Each skull was then scanned and an exact copy made. The copy skull was then

studied and specific measurements taken at predetermined points. Identification of any bony pathologies

or unusual landmarks, ruggedness of muscle attachments, profile of the mandible, symmetry of the nasal

bones, dentition, and wear of the surface of the teeth were made. All of these features have an effect on

the appearance of an individual's face. Coloured plastics or the coloured ends of safety matches were

attached at a number of specific "landmark" areas that correspond to reference data. These sites represent

the average facial tissue thickness for persons of the same sex, race, and age as that of the remains. From

this point on, all features were added using modeling clay.

Firstly, a sequence of facial muscles were layered onto the copy followed by the the soft tissues of the neck.

Next, the nose and lips were reconstructed before any of the other muscles are formed. The lips are

approximately as wide as the interpupillary distance. However, this distance varies significantly with age,

sex, and race. The nose is one of the most difficult facial features to reconstruct because the underlying

bone is limited and the possibility of variation is expansive. The nasal profile is constructed by first

measuring the width of the nasal aperture and the nasal spine. Using a calculation of three times the length

of the spine plus the depth of tissue marker number five will yield the approximate nose length. Next, the

pitch of the nose is determined by examining the direction of the nasal spine - down, flat, or up. A block of

clay that is the proper length is then place on the nasal spine and the remaining nasal tissue is filled in using

tissue markers two and three as a guide for the bridge of the nose. The muscles of facial expression and the

soft tissue around the eyes were added next. Tissues were then built up to within one millimeter of the

tissue thickness markers and the ears (very difficult to reproduce, so mostly based on the sculptors feell of

the face) were added. Finally, the face is "fleshed," meaning clay is added until the tissue thickness markers

are covered, and any specific characterisation is added (for example, hair, or wrinkles in the skin). Eye and

hair colour and skin tone were determined partly by looking at the array of individuals represented in an

early coloured engraving depicting the sinking of the Mary Rose, and partly by the look of the facila

features. Our gentleman started out as blond with blue eyes, but this just did not work with the shape of

his face.

Biomechanics of archers

Swansea University first became involved with the Mary Rose Trust (MRT) in 2009 Prof Mark Jones

contacted Nick Owen (sport and exercise biomechanist in the Applied Sports Technology Exercise and

Medicine Research Centre (A-STEM), College of Engineering) with an idea for an undergraduate dissertation

study. Prof Jones’ initial idea was to consider the archers of Henry VIIIth army (of whom it is theorised were

onboard the MR when she sank) as elite athletes of the day and apply current scientific methodology used

in sports science to learn more about these amazing individuals. The idea developed into a project for two

students (Simon Annan and Susan Marsh) that also incorporated cutting edge technology borrowed from

rapid prototyping and reverse engineering as well as more traditional sports science techniques. The

project involved determining the reliability of laser scanning measurements as applied to human remains

and then using laser scanners to compare nine sets of shoulder girdle and arm bones from the MRT’s

collection of fairly complete skeletons. The purpose of the study was to investigate the possibility of

identifying professional medieval archers from their skeletal remains.

At the same time a complimentary study was undertaken, with the help of a number of members of the

Medieval Society, to gain an insight into the biomechanics involved in drawing and loosing a traditional

English / Welsh longbow. To this end, 3-dimensional motion capture technology (the type more often

associated with recent block buster films like Avitar and Tin Tin) was used, at Swansea University’s

Biomechanics Lab, to collect data of Gary Bourne (Medieval Society) using a replica medieval longbow,

expertly made by Chris Boyton (Medieval Society) and based on the many longbows recovered from the

MR. After analysing the motion capture data and extensive discussions about medieval archery technique

with Chris and Garry it was decided that preliminary investigation should compare dimensions of lower arm

bones, from the same individual, as these were the most likely to show bilateral asymmetry.

Both undergraduate studies were successful but also identified a number of limitations with the

measurement of bones using laser scanners; however there were only 3 pairs of lower arm bones available

at the time so further work was needed to try and establish a more robust method of identifying

professional medieval archer from their skeletal remains.

Towards the end of his undergraduate studies, Simon Annan (supervised by Nick Owen) applied for and

obtained an MSc by research scholarship funded by the Knowledge Enterprise Scholarship Scheme (KESS*)

and MRT in partnership with WriteMedia. This further research examined 20 pairs of lower arm bones and

used laser scanning measurement techniques (developed at Swansea University’s College of Engineering by

computational engineers) that were able to reliably measure cross sectional areas and 7 other lower arm

bone attributes. These new measurement techniques allowed a more thorough analysis of the remains

and it is anticipated that details of this research project will be published in the summer of 2013.

DNA

The condition of the human remains from the Mary Rose is so remarkable that it was decided at an early

stage to look at the potential for the extraction and amplification of human DNA. The first stage was to

check for survival of DNA and whether or not it could be extracted, amplified and free of contamination. In

1990 pig DNA was isolated from a pig bone carried as foodstuffs, free of contamination by any human

handling and viable enough for study. This was the first time that a genuine survival of DNA from an

archaeological specimen of known date had been proven and this was crucial in the development of

forensic science. This has since been repeated using some of the cow bones and more recently human DNA

has been extracted and successfully amplified.

Maternal DNA, inherited from the mother, is more easily available, but only gives a portion of information

about a person. This has been undertaken and it has been possible to allocate certain crew members to

particular clusters within Europe. Nuclear DNA, within the nucleus of a cell, is inherited from both parents

and carries far more information but is much harder to extract and amplify. This would give far more

information, for example hair and eye colour,and skin type amongst many other things. We are still actively

engaged in the extraction and amplification of DNA, both mitochondrial and nuclear, from human bone and

animal bones.

“How x-rays and nanoparticles can save Mary Rose wood”

Mary Rose wood has undergone biological, chemical and mechanical changes both pre and post excavation.

Of particular concern are sulfur compounds within its structure, which formed whilst on the seabed

through the interaction of sulfur-reducing bacteria with sulfate-ions which are abundant in seawater.

Whilst under the silt in a low oxygen environment they posed little threat, but when exposed to oxygen

these compounds can oxidise to acids which destroy the wood. Only through the developments of

synchrotrons (intense x-ray source) has it become possible for scientists to distinguish the different types of

sulfur compounds contributing to this problem. This project has involved the use of various synchrotrons

around the world, such as the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Diamond Light Source, Soleil and

Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, Paul Scherrer Institute. Nanoparticle treatments of strontium

carbonate have proved successful in neutralising and stabilising compounds contributing to acid

production. Assessment of the feasibility of this treatment was only made possible by the use of a

synchrotron source.

A Host of Golden Angels

Amongst the objects recovered from the wreck of the Mary Rose are a number of coins that belonged to

individuals and are of a variety of types and original value. The Mary Rose is not a ‘treasure’ ship in the

popular sense, the number of coins recovered is modest. However, the known date of loss of the ship gives

added academic value to the coins.

Some thirty gold coins have been recovered, including nineteen Angels, one Half Angel, three crowns of the

Double Rose, six Half Sovereigns and one Rial/Rose Noble. It is possible the Angels and Rial were carried by

their owners as good luck charms as much as for their monetary value.

We were interested in using this well dated and documented collection of coins to provide new information

and insights into the manufacture of coins in Tudor times. This study was carried out at the Rutherford

Appleton Laboratory (ISIS) using the GEM instrument to collect high quality neutron diffraction data on the

gold and coins from the Mary Rose collection. The results obtained confirm that all of the gold coins were

minted via striking, and our improved knowledge of the amount of flattening and annealing before striking

has led to a greater and more precise understanding of the Tudor minting process.

Meet the Mary Rose crew members

The Mary Rose did not carry a list of crew names, just a list of numbers. Of the 415 crew there 185 soldiers,

200 marines and 30 gunners. Only the names of the Vice Admiral, Sir George Carew and the Captain, Roger

Grenville are known, but a study of the crew’s belongings and their bones suggests most were relatively fit

and strong, and some were literate and wealthy.

The Museum is dedicated to those who lost their lives when the Mary Rose sank on 19th July 1545. Their

possessions and some of their remains will be on display.

Forensic science and osto-archaeology

The faces of nine of the crew have been recreated using techniques used by forensic scientists. The skulls

were scanned and copies made, using a series of measurements taken from the skull and pegs inserted into

the copies, the size and thickness of facial muscles can be determined. Measurements of specific features

are taken and by applying a series of calculations made on living individuals of known age, sex and race, it is

possible to reconstruct features such as the nose, eyes and chin. The application of this techniques to the

identification of murder victims has proven to be successful.

Archer

This is a reconstruction of the face of the archer from the study of his skull.

A study of the archer’s skeleton reveals that he was in his early 20s and about 1.78

metres tall (5 ft 10 in.). He was taller than many of the crew and well built, with

particularly strong legs. The middle of his spine is twisted, a feature we see on other

skeletons found with archery equipment. One of his right finger bones has grooves on the

inside, forming a ridge. This could have been made by repeatedly pulling a longbow

string.

Carpenter

This is a reconstruction of the face of a man found on the orlop deck, immediately

below the Master Carpenter’s cabin. A number of woodworking tools were next to him.

Analysis of his remains shows that he was probably in his mid- to late 30s. He was just

over 1.72 metres tall (5 ft 7 in.) and was a strong, muscular man. His teeth were poor,

with a build-up of tartar. An abscess in his upper jaw meant he could only chew on the

right side. He also had arthritis in his spine and ribs. We know from historical sources that

a carpenter would be stationed below deck during battle so that he could repair any

damage to the ship immediately.

A Cook named Ny Cop’ or ‘Ny Coep’.

This is reconstruction based on the skeleton found closest to the galley. His ladle, comb,

knives, shoes, spoon and coins displayed in this case were found nearby.

The Cook’s skeleton is virtually complete. It shows us that he was a man in his 30s, about

1.68 metres tall (5 ft 6 in.) and with heavy, strong bones. Evidence from his ribs and

backbone suggests he spent much of his working life bent over. The Cook was paid the

same as the Master Carpenter and Master Gunner, and was responsible for feeding over

400 men and preparing more elaborate meals for the officers. He worked in the galley,

which was at the lowest area of the ship. Nearby were hundreds of bowls and cooking

tools. Some graffiti found on a bowl and a tankard suggests that the cook was named ‘Ny

Cop’ or ‘Ny Coep’.

Master Gunner

This is a reconstruction of the Master Gunner’s face. He was 1.70 metres tall (5 ft 7 in.)

and in his late 20s or early 30s. He had very bad teeth: eleven were missing before he

died and most of those left were badly decayed, leaving abscesses in his jaws.

His skeleton reveals that, although he had strong, muscular legs, his neck bones had

degenerated and the base of his spine was compacted. This may be the result of years of

hauling guns into position and lifting the heavy gunpowder chambers, a task which took a

team of four or six men. He also had a healed fracture of his left hand.

Officer

This is a reconstruction based on evidence from the remains of one of the men who

drowned when the ship sank. He was in his late 30s or early 40s, 1.63 metres tall (5 ft 4

in.). Like many others he had bad teeth, with decay, tartar and abscesses, especially of

the molars.

We can tell from his bones that he did manual work when he was younger. But he was

found with a silver call – a whistle. Officers carried a call to give orders, because it could

be heard clearly around the deck. So this man must have risen in rank.

Purser

This is a reconstruction of the face of the Purser. He was a robust, strong and muscular

man, with good teeth and an old head wound which had healed.

A study of his skeleton reveals that he was in his 30s and about 1.70 metres tall (5 ft 7

in.). The top of his leg bones and his hip joints are flat, so he must have walked with a

rolling gait and would not have been able to straighten his back. With this physique, he

could not have been an active member of the crew, which again suggests that he was the

Purser.

Stranger and Gentleman

This is the reconstruction of the face of the man in his mid-20s who was trapped behind

the chest.

His skeleton reveals that he was 1.63 metres tall (5 ft 4 in.). His spine shows that he was

used to lifting heavy objects. He may have been a gunner – the gun beside him was being

re-loaded as the ship sank. But he also had features in his shoulder blades often found in

archers, and a longbow and arrows were also found here.

Conservation of the Mary Rose

When the hull was raised in 1982 she was sprayed with recycled, fresh water at a temperature of less than

5oC to stop the wood drying out and to inhibit bacterial activity. In 1985 the ship was turned upright and a

series of Titanium props were installed to support the internal structure. Greenheart wood was placed

between the Titanium props and the Mary Rose in order to prevent the interaction of the Titanium prop

with the archaeological wood. During the early years substantial work was carried out to remove as much

as the sediment as possible.

In 1994, active conservation commenced through the spraying of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG), a water

soluble polymer. Initially the hull was sprayed with PEG 200. This process was carried out for 10 years until

a concentration of 40% was achieved. The aim of the PEG 200 is to penetrate deep into the wood and

support the cell walls. In 2004, the spraying system was replaced so it could support the spraying of a

higher molecular weight PEG 2000 which requires heating to be in a liquid form. It is more viscous than PEG

200 and aims to seal the surface of the wood.

The next stage of conservation, about to be undertaken, is to dry the ship in environmentally controlled

conditions. Research at the Mary Rose Trust has found that drying to 55% relative humidity and 20oC is

favourable. An intricate network of ducting will be placed around the ship structure, with each duct having

air vents, allowing controlled drying of the timbers. By monitoring the air flow it is possible to ensure that

the timbers do not experience excessive stress during drying. The amount of moisture coming off the ship

will be regularly measured. It is currently estimated that around 100 tons of water need to be removed

which could take in the region of 4 to 5 years to complete.

During the drying phase a number of methods will be employed to monitor the hull for chemical,

mechanical and biological stability. Monitors will be placed on the hull to indicate any movement on the

timbers. Alongside these, data loggers will be placed which will allow continuous monitoring of the

temperature and humidity of specific locations. Core samples will be taken to monitor moisture and PEG

content and to assess biological activity. In addition cores will be taken to Diamond Light Source in

Oxfordshire to monitor the build-up of acidic compounds in the wood.

Spokespeople at the Mary Rose Museum and Trust, available for interviews:

Rear Admiral John Lippiett, Chief Executive, Mary Rose Trust

Robert Lapraik, Deputy Chief Executive, Mary Rose Trust

Professor Mark Jones, Head of Conservation, Mary Rose Museum

Dr Eleanor Schofield, Conservation Manager, Mary Rose Museum

Christopher Dobbs, Head of Interpretation, Mary Rose Museum

Trevor Sapey, Outreach Officer, Mary Rose Museum

Mary Kinoulty Head of Learning, Mary Rose Museum

Images of the Mary Rose Museum - Photography credit: © Luke Hayes Photography

Hospitality and Events at the Mary Rose Museum

Since opening the Mary Rose Museum has enjoyed great success as an exciting and unique venue for both corporate and private events. Located in the heart of Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard and just 90 minutes from London Waterloo, the award winning state of the art Mary Rose Museum is an ideal location for your event. The Mary Rose can be easily accessed by multiple transport routes and is situated in close proximity to the restaurants and bars of Gunwharf Quays. The Museum is also an ideal base for your sailing away day! Why not enjoy a delicious breakfast in the Wardroom before setting out to sail and a fabulous dinner in the Admiral’s Gallery on your return in the evening. The Museum can host a wide range of occasions, including but not limited to: meetings, conferences, drinks receptions, dinners, specialist talks, private tours, weddings, meetings and lectures. Entertainment spaces include: The Wardroom: A luxurious private meeting space fully equipped with state of the art conferencing and meeting technologies. The Wardroom also makes a lovely location for an intimate lunch or dinner. The Admiral’s Gallery: Enjoy a dinner or drinks reception in our stunning, large events space, surrounded by treasures from the Mary Rose. The Bridge Balcony: Exclusive access to our balcony is part of all of our venue hire packages. It provides stunning views of HMS Victory and the surrounding Portsmouth harbour. The Museum is an ideal location for a wedding ceremony and reception. Four beautiful locations are licensed for wedding ceremonies with venues to accommodate up to 100 ceremony guests. You can tie the knot nestled amongst artefacts from the Mary Rose. In addition the Museum is working on developing a range of teambuilding activities that guests can enjoy as a respite from meetings in our Wardroom. For further information about prices, please download the Mary Rose Hospitality Brochure by following this link: Mary Rose Hospitality Brochure

Online Shop

The Mary Rose Museum offers a range of exclusive gifts and memento’s including Cluedo, Monopoly, tea towels, jewellery, books, replica’s, models and home ware.

To view the full stock, please visit http://www.maryroseshop.org/ for further details and contact Gong Muse for images.

Building the new museum

The plans for the new purpose-built museum come over thirty years after the hull of the Mary Rose was

raised from the bed of the Solent, from a design team which brings together the complex combination of

technical expertise, creativity and specialist knowledge necessary to realise the vision of the Mary Rose

Trust. The discreet building is positioned over the dock – itself a Scheduled Ancient Monument – where the

ship is currently undergoing conservation. The design has been developed to maintain as extensive visitor

access as possible, balancing the specific conservation conditions necessary to the ship’s preservation with

the requirements of a world-class visitor attraction.

The external envelope of the new museum has been designed as a minimal volume, its curvilinear

geometry derived from the dry dock it protects. Its low elegant form responds sensitively to its historic

context, allowing important sight lines to and around the nearby HMS Victory to be maintained. The roof

takes the form of a shell which is subtly articulated by the building’s raked walls.

The building is conceived as a finely crafted, wooden jewellery box, clad in timber planks in response to both

the structure of the original ship and HMS Victory. The timber is painted black, reflecting England’s

vernacular boat shed architecture, and minimally ornamented with inscriptions drawn from the carved

ciphers used by the crew of the Mary Rose to identify their personal belongings. A balcony to the west

offers a spectacular vantage point over the Royal Navy dockyard and its numerous 18th and 19th Century

Grade 1 and 2* listed buildings.

Inside, the preserved starboard side of the Mary Rose hull will be the museum’s centrepiece. The new

permanent structure will enhance the visitor experience by consolidating the collection and increasing

accessibility. New galleries corresponding to the principal deck levels – castle, main and hold – run the

length of the ship, imitating the missing port side and allowing the original artefacts to be displayed in

context. Galleries at either end will display additional material related to the corresponding deck level, and

include further artefacts, interpretation material and hands-on experience.

The hull will remain on its original recovery cradle and will not be moved from its current position in the dry

dock. The ‘hotbox’, in which the ship will be kept sealed until the conservation process is complete in 2017,

will form an exciting dimension to the museum, with visitors able to witness the ongoing wet and dry

conservation through new viewing ports from each of the new deck-level galleries. On completion of the

air-drying phase of the hull conservation, the hotbox enclosure will be removed, allowing visitors to fully

appreciate new and dramatic views of the Mary Rose’s original timbers, with her contents displayed in

context within the virtual hull.

The Mary Rose Museum will be a time capsule through which visitors will be able to take a unique journey

through a slice of Tudor England. Journeying through the 1700m2 of gallery space across three floors, the

visitor will learn the history of Henry VIII’s favourite ship, experiencing her tragic sinking in 1545 (after 34

years of successful service) and the lives of the seamen and officers who served on the Mary Rose. Real

artefacts combined with exhibits will enable the extraordinary treasures to be placed in context within the

ship, explaining how and where they would have been used at the moment she sank.

About Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is the only place in the world where visitors can experience first-hand what it

was really like to serve and fight on board the ships that shaped Britain’s history, alongside the modern

warships of the Royal Navy.

Ask anyone to name the most famous warships in the world and the Mary Rose, HMS Victory and HMS

Warrior 1860 are sure to feature. Their appeal endures because of the graphic and moving stories

associated with them; being the favourite of Henry VIII; the victor at the Battle of Trafalgar and never firing

a shot in anger during 10 long years of sea domination.

But it’s more than that. It’s the social history about life on-board and the wider society; the bravery and

heroism of generations of serving personnel and their families and their compelling stories; the technology

that meant Britain led the world and the anecdotes which have fashioned our language for centuries.

The world’s oldest commissioned warship, HMS Victory, still has a full-time Royal Navy crew today. But as

you walk between her historic decks, and see the hammocks slung between the cannons, and tables set for

a meal of maggot-ridden bread, visitors will sense the men who sailed and died with Nelson. And that

they’ll be back at any moment…

At Action Stations, taking off in a helicopter and flying the Royal Marines into battle is something visitors

will never forget. In fact, they might find it hard to remember it’s just a full-size simulation – one of dozens

of hands-on activities (including the UK’s tallest indoor climbing tower, fitted with an automatic safety

delay system) providing a taste of life in today’s Royal Navy.

Every man who went to the bottom of the Solent in the Mary Rose was a husband, father or son. The

museum’s extraordinary collection of their personal, domestic and military equipment gives this famous

maritime disaster uniquely human dimension and poignancy. As a Victorian, visitors would have seen HMS

Warrior 1860 in the same way future generations would regard the Saturn V rocket, Concorde and the

internet. The world’s first iron-hulled, armoured warship powered by steam as well as sail, the ‘Black Snake’

changed the maritime world forever. Yet 10 years later, she was obsolete. Proof that history really does

repeat itself.

The National Museum of the Royal Navy is one of the world’s leading maritime museums. Dates, images

and artefacts tell us about events. The real drama is in the experiences of the men and women who were

there. The funeral barge that brought Nelson’s body up the Thames after Trafalgar reminds visitors that he

was human. So were the men who served under him in the harsh days of sail – and the slaves in the trade

the Royal Navy helped to abolish. Explorers can hear their stories and enter their world where the past is

closer than they think.

A 45-minute Harbour Tour brings visitors up close and personal with modern Royal Navy warships and

shows why Portsmouth remains one of the world’s most important harbours. And with the sea air in their

nostrils and the deck rolling gently beneath their feet, passengers will feel closer to the stories and people

that make the Historic Dockyard unique. (Important note: The warships in the Royal Navy dockyard can

change on an hourly basis and tours are subject to weather conditions and availability).

2013 sees the opening of the new Mary Rose Museum and also the continuing work on new galleries and a

new exhibition at the National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN). HMS – Hear My Story is a major

exhibition that will be situated in the brand new Babcock Galleries at the museum in Portsmouth Historic

Dockyard. Opening in spring 2014, it will tell the undiscovered stories from the ordinary men, women and

ships which have made the Navy‘s amazing history over the last 100 years and impacted on all our lives.

Cutting edge interpretation will showcase the stories of the Royal Navy through war and peace; from the

storms of the Arctic to the heat of Afghanistan. Visitors can get immersed with technology to disguise a

ship, hunt a submarine and send messages in code. Veterans will also tell, first hand, their stories of living

and fighting at sea.