The Relic of the Mary Rose

On the 19th July 1545, the Mary Rose – second largest ship of Henry VIII's fleet – set sail from Spithead to challenge the French invaders. In full view of the King and his assembled forces, the great ship capsized taking with her almost 700 men.

More than four centuries later, in 1982, her hull was successfully raised from the seabed. The Mary Rose now rests, restored, only a short distance from Lord Nelson's flagship HMS Victory in Portsmouth's naval dockyard.

A facsimile of the 1842 edition, Narrative of the Loss of the Mary Rose, at Spithead, July 20, 1545, The Relic of Mary Rose was a delightful Genesis limited edition. Devoted to the story of the sinking of the Tudor ship, the book preserves the eye-witness account of the tragedy by Sir Peter Carew, a near relation of the Mary Rose's ill-fated captain. 

Published in 1983 in an edition of only 750 numbered copies, each was signed by Margaret Rule, Archeological Director of the Mary Rose Trust. Embedded in the full leather binding, surrounded by intricate gilt and red blocking, was an inset fragment of original English oak recovered from the wreck of the Mary Rose Tudor warship.

This exquisite miniature volume is no longer available.