ON THIS DAY: 19 July 1545

Sinking of the Mary Rose

Henry VIII watched from Southsea Castle as his favourite warship, the Mary Rose, sank in the Solent, off the south coast of England, with the loss of up to 700 lives. Launched in 1511, the Mary Rose saw service in wars against France and Scotland. In 1545, tensions with France came to a head, and King Francis I … Read more