This major work, produced by the Mary Rose Trust is concerned primarily with a detailed description of the Mary Rose and how she operated as a major warship in the fleet of King Henry VII of England. Starting with a discussion of the place of Mary Rose in the development of warships, her recovery and examination are described as well as the method by which she has been reconstructed on paper. Evidence is presented for how the ship was designed and built and how her timbers were cut and placed.

The structure of the ship and her rigging as she was in 1545 are described deck by deck with lots of illustrations, including reconstructed deck plans. A summary of the ship's armaments is provided, (this subject will be covered in detail in another volume) and her fighting abilities considered. Evidence for how the ship was altered during her use and how she might be reconstructed as a whole are examined. This will be of great interest to the model maker who wants to build a 16th century ship. The narrative ends with a discussion of some important areas of research that need to be address in future years.

(Sample pages from the Mary Rose)