The History of the Mary Rose- Page 2 of 16
The Building of
the Mary Rose
Faced with the ever present threat of the French
Navy, as well as a strong, potentially hostile, Scottish fleet, Henry
embarked on a programme of naval building, including the Mary Rose
and the Peter Pomegranate. (N.A.M. Rodger suggests in his book, The
Safeguard of the Sea: A Naval History of Britain Vol.1, that the threat
of the new Scottish ships, including the Michael and the Margaret,
were the determining factor in Henry's decision to expand and uprate
his navy). From a technological point of view, these ships were a
radical departure from those of his father. They were carvel rather
than clinker built and equipped with heavy guns mounted near the waterline.
The introduction of the carvel hull also facilitated the construction
of watertight gun-ports.
While the loss of the Mary Rose is well documented, the construction of the ship is not. There are however a few documents that provide important clues as to where and when she was constructed. Firstly, there is a private Venetian letter dated 29/12/1509. This refers to an increase in the price of tin, as the king is making ordnance to equip four new ships being built at Southampton.(1) Unfortunately names and tonnage of the ships is not recorded. It is also unlikely, looking at further evidence, that the Mary Rose was constructed in that city.
There is a warrant to John Dawtry, dated 29/1/1510, authorising £700 to be spent on materials for the construction of two ships, one of 400 and the other of 300 tons. This seven hundred pounds was followed up with a further £316, 13s and 4d for...
all manner of implements and necessaries to the same two ships belonging, for sails, twine, marling (-line), ropes, cables, cabletts, shrouds, hawsers, bouyropes, tacks, lifts, top armours, streamers, standard(s), compasses, running glasses, tankards, bowls, dishes, lanterns, brass sheaves and pulleys, victuals and wages of men foe setting up their masts, shrouds and other tackeling...(2)
Although neither ship is mentioned by name, they have been assumed to be the Mary Rose and the Peter Pomegranate respectively. These are also the only two large new ships recorded as being built in 1510.(3) Since other records indicate that these two ships were constructed either simultaneously or very nearly so it would appear likely that these are the ships in question.(4)
John Dawtry was appointed King's customer at Southampton in 1509, along with Richard Palshide,(5) but they do not appear to have been responsible for shipbuilding there. Along with their customs jobs, they seem to have acted as financial agents for the Navy on the South Coast. In this role they were responsible for the disbursement of money and the purchasing and forwarding of victuals and material.
One of the most influential of the King's officers was Robert Brygandine, who was originally appointed Clerk of the King's Ships in 1495 by Henry VII. His position was confirmed by Henry VIII in a warrant of 1509.(6) Throughout his period of office he appears to have been stationed mainly in Portsmouth.
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