The Mary Rose Trust celebrates 40th anniversary of the raising of the Mary Rose with series of expert lectures

Commemorating those whose hard work enabled the raising of Henry VIII’s warship in 1982, the largest underwater archaeological excavation at the time, guests will be able to attend lectures delivered by leading historians and marine archaeologists

Chief Executive of the Mary Rose Museum, Dominic Jones, said.

“Even after hundreds of years, the Mary Rose continues to fascinate. This series of lectures delivered by leading experts is the perfect way to celebrate the momentous feat of raising her from the seabed, as well as commemorating those whose fantastic work 40 years ago has enabled hundreds of thousands to witness the Mary Rose close up and explore Tudor life like never before.”

Tickets are priced at £30 day or £75 for all three. All tickets will include lunch and refreshments, as well as entry to the Mary Rose Museum at the end of the day. The lectures will all take place in the Action Stations Auditorium at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and tickets can be purchased here.

Thursday 6th October:

What was happening in the Tudor court during the time of the Mary Rose?

Day One will feature historians Dr Elizabeth Norton and Dr Kirsten Claiden-Yardley. Dr Sean Cunningham, Head of Medieval Records at the National Archives, will also deliver a talk titled, Courtiers as Captains: Strengthening court networks and English naval expertise in the wars of 1512-1513, exploring how Henry VIII’s court were key to building his plan for the recovery of England’s navy. The day will conclude with a panel discussion and a talk from Professor Suzannah Lipscomb, historian and Trustee of the Mary Rose Trust.

Friday 7th October

What impact did the Mary Rose have on Maritime Archaeology? And if the Mary Rose was found today, would she be raised?

Guest speakers include Christopher Underwood, President of the International Committee on the Underwater Cultural Heritage, Dr Brendan Foley who will discuss the Gribshunden shipwreck and Dr Dan Pascoe who’ll explore English wrecks and highlight the different approaches to their excavation. The day will also include contributions from Professor Eleanor Schofield, Deputy CEO of the Mary Rose Trust, Mr Christopher Dobbs, Head of Interpretation, and Dr Alex Hildred, Head of Research at the Mary Rose Trust.

Saturday 8th October

The raising.

Hear stories from some of the Mary Rose salvage and Recovery Diving team and Royal Engineers involved in raising the of the ship, with special guests including John Selwyn-Gilbert (BBC Chronicle) and Nigel Kelland (Sonardyne International). The afternoon session will also feature further discussions on the sinking from the likes of Dr Alex Hildred, Christopher Dobbs, Dr Dominic Fontana and Damien Sanders.

Book your place at the Mary Rose Anniversary Lectures

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