The Mary Rose Museum's Avatar

The Mary Rose Museum

@maryrosemuseum

Home of Henry VIII's favourite ship, the Mary Rose, which sank off the English coast in 1545 after a 34 year long career. #Portsmouth's top visitor attraction on TripAdvisor. Part of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

7,880
Followers
245
Following
1,713
Posts
12.11.2024
Joined
Posts Following

Latest posts by The Mary Rose Museum @maryrosemuseum

A view of the Mary Rose from towards the stern, showing the internal structure of the ship. The orangey browns of the ship contrast with the blues of the background.

A view of the Mary Rose from towards the stern, showing the internal structure of the ship. The orangey browns of the ship contrast with the blues of the background.

Visited any good museums lately?

Why not come and visit a great one this weekend!

Available as part of the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard ticket - maryrose.org/Book-Now

07.03.2026 09:45 πŸ‘ 31 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
From Ship to Screen- Archery and the Mary Rose - Mary Rose Discover the world of Tudor archery, learning how they made a Tudor arrow based on ones in our collection, all from the comfort of your sofa!

Our collection of longbows and arrows are unlike anything anywhere else in the world, but what can they tell us about archery in Tudor England?

Find out with our online talk on Saturday 14th March at 14.00 GMT

06.03.2026 17:02 πŸ‘ 38 πŸ” 10 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
A round wooden box, made of slats of poplar and a solid round wooden lid

A round wooden box, made of slats of poplar and a solid round wooden lid

Three pewter clasps, one with a fleur de lis and two with Tudor roses.

Three pewter clasps, one with a fleur de lis and two with Tudor roses.

A brass pin, about 25mm long.

A brass pin, about 25mm long.

This round wooden box was found on the orlop deck, which was used as a storage space on the ship.

Made of poplar strips, it contained three pewter clasps and a brass pin, so was almost certainly a personal object, not belonging to the ship.

Sadly, we don't know who owned it.

06.03.2026 09:15 πŸ‘ 31 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Seems it's time for everyone's regular reminder that the Mary Rose was around a lot longer than many people think...

maryrose.org/discover/his...

05.03.2026 14:48 πŸ‘ 13 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Book - Before the Mast The Mary Rose carried a crew of naval officers and sailors, a fighting force of gunners and soldiers, a Barber-Surgeon, several ship's carpenters and skilled navigators. Of nearly 500 men, fewer than ...

We agree, and it's a lot cheaper on our online shop than it is on eBay, if anyone's looking for a copy!

shop.maryrose.org/products/boo...

05.03.2026 13:01 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Shop and CafΓ© - Mary Rose Get unique Tudor-inspired gifts from the Mary Rose Museum gift shop. Unwind at the Mary Rose cafΓ© with coffee, snacks, paninis and cakes.

There's an even larger range in our museum shop, so get yourself down to the Dockyard this weekend and check them out!

maryrose.org/visit/shop-a...

05.03.2026 12:31 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Books Get unique Tudor-inspired gifts from the Mary Rose Museum gift shop. All purchases help contribute to the preservation and conservation of the Mary Rose and her objects

#WorldBookday doesn't just have to be for kids dressed as Matilda or Spider-Man; why shouldn't adults get in on the reading-based fun!

Treat yourself courtesy of the Mary Rose Shop - from Tales of the Tudor Court to Haynes manuals for 16th century carracks!

shop.maryrose.org/collections/...

05.03.2026 12:31 πŸ‘ 25 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

Any titles would probably have been on the inside, sadly.

05.03.2026 11:23 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

There may have been cheaper options - literacy was probably better than is often believed - but they were probably designed to be disposable, so don't survive.

05.03.2026 10:46 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
What could generously be called residue of paper on the inside of one of the Mary Rose book covers, with some Fraktur-style text just about visible.

What could generously be called residue of paper on the inside of one of the Mary Rose book covers, with some Fraktur-style text just about visible.

Paper that had recently been recovered from the sea, with some Fraktur-style text visible. Sadly this perished after recovery.

Paper that had recently been recovered from the sea, with some Fraktur-style text visible. Sadly this perished after recovery.

Paper that had recently been recovered from the sea, with a more Roman-style serif text just about visible. Sadly this perished after recovery.

Paper that had recently been recovered from the sea, with a more Roman-style serif text just about visible. Sadly this perished after recovery.

While the pages didn't survive, we did find traces of them, with the print was still somewhat legible on the remnants that adhered to the inside of the covers.

05.03.2026 10:19 πŸ‘ 21 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
A leather book cover, with brass clasps and am embossed front, featuring a two headed eagle and the text VERBVM: DOMINI: MANET: IN ETERNVM (β€˜The word of the Lord endureth for ever’).

A leather book cover, with brass clasps and am embossed front, featuring a two headed eagle and the text VERBVM: DOMINI: MANET: IN ETERNVM (β€˜The word of the Lord endureth for ever’).

A leather book cover, opened to show both the front and the back, which are decorated with embossed animals, and vines, with a rectangular border reading DOMINI EXAUDI ORATIONEM MEAM ET CLAMOR MEUS AD TE VENIAT (Vulgate Psalm 101: β€˜Hear, O Lord, my prayer: and let my cry come to thee'

A leather book cover, opened to show both the front and the back, which are decorated with embossed animals, and vines, with a rectangular border reading DOMINI EXAUDI ORATIONEM MEAM ET CLAMOR MEUS AD TE VENIAT (Vulgate Psalm 101: β€˜Hear, O Lord, my prayer: and let my cry come to thee'

A very badly preserved leather book cover, held together by the wooden base beneath it. It had similar clasps to the one with the two-headed bird

A very badly preserved leather book cover, held together by the wooden base beneath it. It had similar clasps to the one with the two-headed bird

A larger leather book cover, with faces in profile on the cover, and the initials MD, a monogram for Martin Doture, a bookbinder and stationer from Tudor England.

A larger leather book cover, with faces in profile on the cover, and the initials MD, a monogram for Martin Doture, a bookbinder and stationer from Tudor England.

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but the pages didn't survive 437 years submerged in seawater!

Nine leather book covers were recovered from the Mary Rose, which probably belonged to officers - books were very expensive in 1545!

05.03.2026 09:30 πŸ‘ 80 πŸ” 20 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0
The mallet sitting upside down, with the cross facing the camera. the handle is broken, so seems shorter than it would have been,

The mallet sitting upside down, with the cross facing the camera. the handle is broken, so seems shorter than it would have been,

The mallet on a white background, showing the cross a bit better. It's been chiselled out, the vertical line is slightly deeper.

The mallet on a white background, showing the cross a bit better. It's been chiselled out, the vertical line is slightly deeper.

This mallet is unusual among the ones found on the Mary Rose as it features a large cross on the side, the meaning of which is unknown. It could be a makers mark, or represent a particular task it was used for.

Let us know what you think it means...

04.03.2026 09:15 πŸ‘ 54 πŸ” 11 πŸ’¬ 12 πŸ“Œ 0
The flat end of a gun carriage, with a number of random holes of different sizes bored into it.

The flat end of a gun carriage, with a number of random holes of different sizes bored into it.

We sometimes wonder if that's why this gun carriage is full of holes!

Pretty sure they're not from shipworm, as the rest of the carriage is pretty much intact.

04.03.2026 11:42 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Video thumbnail

One thing we're certain of, though, is that it's nothing to do with medicine - the Red Cross wasn't a medical symbol until 1863.

And even if it was, a blow to the head isn't a good method of putting people to sleep - unless you mean it in a permanent manner...

04.03.2026 10:50 πŸ‘ 16 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0
The mallet sitting upside down, with the cross facing the camera. the handle is broken, so seems shorter than it would have been,

The mallet sitting upside down, with the cross facing the camera. the handle is broken, so seems shorter than it would have been,

The mallet on a white background, showing the cross a bit better. It's been chiselled out, the vertical line is slightly deeper.

The mallet on a white background, showing the cross a bit better. It's been chiselled out, the vertical line is slightly deeper.

This mallet is unusual among the ones found on the Mary Rose as it features a large cross on the side, the meaning of which is unknown. It could be a makers mark, or represent a particular task it was used for.

Let us know what you think it means...

04.03.2026 09:15 πŸ‘ 54 πŸ” 11 πŸ’¬ 12 πŸ“Œ 0
A bread trough with a large flat stone that may have been used for grinding grain to make flour.

A bread trough with a large flat stone that may have been used for grinding grain to make flour.

Saying that, we did find a stone that might have been used to grind flour, as well as three troughs used for kneading bread...

03.03.2026 18:48 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Probably not - not much call for sifting grain on a warship.

It was probably just used for storage - other basketry remains were found containing carpenters' tools.

03.03.2026 18:48 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Video thumbnail

We were getting water piped in decades ago...

03.03.2026 18:30 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
A large flat rectangular wicker basket recovered from the Mary Rose, with two wicker handles on the side facing us.

A large flat rectangular wicker basket recovered from the Mary Rose, with two wicker handles on the side facing us.

One or two. Would you like a list?

We've got baskets too, this is the bigger of them.🧺

03.03.2026 16:26 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

We're very proud of our stuff, so it's wonderful that you enjoyed it too!

03.03.2026 16:23 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Hope you had a great time!

03.03.2026 12:35 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
A wide bottomed wooden bucket, with wooden protrusions at the top where a rope would have acted as a handle

A wide bottomed wooden bucket, with wooden protrusions at the top where a rope would have acted as a handle

78A0165 - Leather Bucket
79A0949 - Leather Bucket
79A1085 - Leather Bucket
79A1283 - Wooden Bucket
80A0220 - Wooden Bucket (below)
80A1316 - Leather Bucket
80A1891 - Leather Bucket
80A1946 - Leather Bucket
81A1196 - Leather Bucket
81A1248 - Leather Bucket (cont)

02.03.2026 13:20 πŸ‘ 41 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 4 πŸ“Œ 1
A trio of leather buckets, probably used for cooling recently fired guns.

A trio of leather buckets, probably used for cooling recently fired guns.

What can we say we love us some buckets!

02.03.2026 13:20 πŸ‘ 23 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
A wooden wide bottomed bucket, with the original cooperage around it holding it together. other than that, it's very similar to the one in the  original post.

A wooden wide bottomed bucket, with the original cooperage around it holding it together. other than that, it's very similar to the one in the original post.

82A2667 - Wooden Bucket (below)
72A0079 - Leather Bucket
80A1609 - Leather Bucket

That's our bucket list, what's on yours?

02.03.2026 13:20 πŸ‘ 27 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
A leather bucket, similar in shape to a normal household bucket, with the handle missing, although you can still see one of the holes where it was attached.

A leather bucket, similar in shape to a normal household bucket, with the handle missing, although you can still see one of the holes where it was attached.

81A1582 - Leather Bucket (below)
81A1635 - Leather Bucket
81A1907 - Leather Bucket
81A2469 - Wooden Bucket
81A3239 - Wooden Bucket
81A3252 - Leather Bucket
81A4149 - Leather Bucket
82A0095 - Wooden Bucket
82A1563 - Wooden Bucket
82A1758 - Leather Bucket (cont)

02.03.2026 13:20 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
A wide bottomed wooden bucket, with wooden protrusions at the top where a rope would have acted as a handle

A wide bottomed wooden bucket, with wooden protrusions at the top where a rope would have acted as a handle

78A0165 - Leather Bucket
79A0949 - Leather Bucket
79A1085 - Leather Bucket
79A1283 - Wooden Bucket
80A0220 - Wooden Bucket (below)
80A1316 - Leather Bucket
80A1891 - Leather Bucket
80A1946 - Leather Bucket
81A1196 - Leather Bucket
81A1248 - Leather Bucket (cont)

02.03.2026 13:20 πŸ‘ 41 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 4 πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
a man and a woman are looking at each other with the words they 're all behind you above them ALT: a man and a woman are looking at each other with the words they 're all behind you above them

We don't get many people who go through the museum and ask us why we no longer have the ship's guns on display, but it's a number higher than one, which is slightly worrying...

28.02.2026 10:15 πŸ‘ 25 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
A boy looks through the windows of the Weston Ship Hall at the Mary Rose, while behind him is a rebuilt Tudor galley over, a coil of rope and other objects recovered from the ship.

A boy looks through the windows of the Weston Ship Hall at the Mary Rose, while behind him is a rebuilt Tudor galley over, a coil of rope and other objects recovered from the ship.

When you see the Mary Rose, remember to look behind you, where many of the objects are on display, reflecting where they were found on the ship!

MaryRose.org/Discover/Highlights/ #ShipPicSunday

28.02.2026 08:15 πŸ‘ 45 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
T-shirts showing the Mary Rose being sunk by a Kraken

T-shirts showing the Mary Rose being sunk by a Kraken

A pin badge showing the Mary Rose being sunk by a Kraken

A pin badge showing the Mary Rose being sunk by a Kraken

Notebooks showing the Mary Rose being sunk by a Kraken

Notebooks showing the Mary Rose being sunk by a Kraken

A totebag showing the Mary Rose being sunk by a Kraken

A totebag showing the Mary Rose being sunk by a Kraken

RELEASE THE KRAKEN!

A Rational Explanation is an artwork created by local artist David Booth, and is available on a number of new items available both online and in our museum shop!

Get yours now! shop.maryrose.org/collections/...

25.02.2026 12:45 πŸ‘ 32 πŸ” 7 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 2

Ours do also have markings showing how the blades were attached, as well as signs of where the iron has corroded, so we're certain that there were for fighting and cutting, rather than "ceremonial purposes"...

27.02.2026 11:17 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0