Researchers to 3D scan Henry VIII's flagship the Mary Rose

The British king Henry VIII’s flagship the Mary Rose is one of the very few shipwrecks with preserved superstructure, offering rare insights into the actual deck surfaces where combat took place. Often seen as England’s counterpart to Sweden’s Vasa (which sank in 1628), the Mary Rose differs in having served actively in a number of campaigns in the fleet of Henry VIII between 1511 and 1545, taking part in several battles before her loss.

Her design and exceptional assemblage of armaments reflect the transitional character of naval warfare during the mid-16th century, right at the heart of the so-called Military Revolution at Sea, when fleets shifted from boarding tactics dependency to the growing use of heavy artillery in naval tactics.

3D scanning of the ship in Portsmouth

On 17–18 September, researchers from the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute at the University of Southampton and CEMAS/Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies at Stockholm University, in partnership with the Mary Rose Trust, will carry out high-resolution 3D scanning of the Mary Rose, which is preserved at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

The team will use laser and structured light scanning alongside photogrammetry to create detailed 3D-models of the surviving hull. These digital records will be crucial for long-term conservation, enabling specialists to track structural change over time, while also opening new avenues for archaeological research.

Part of PhD project at Stockholm University

For Stockholm University, the project forms part of maritime archaeologist's Rolf Warming's PhD project Soldiers at Sea, c.1450-1650, which focuses on the paradigmatic shift in naval warfare during the Military Revolution at Sea from an archaeological perspective. By examining the Mary Rose in relation to Baltic wrecks such as the Griffin/Gribshunden (1495), Kraveln (1525), the Mars (1564), and the Vasa (1628), the project aims to advance understanding of technological change, naval tactics, and the material culture of warfare during one of the most transformative periods in maritime history.

"The Mary Rose offers a unique bridge between Tudor and Northern European naval traditions. Placing her in dialogue with Baltic shipwrecks allows us to better understand the dynamics of ship design, armament, and naval strategy during this critical era. The practices of naval warfare reflected in these wrecks were not confined by national boundaries but part of a broader European transformation,” says PhD candidate Rolf Warming, CEMAS/Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies, Stockholm University.

And he adds:
"This initiative underscores the importance of international collaboration in maritime archaeology, building on the close ties between English and Swedish maritime archaeologists that have developed since the 1980s. It is a fine tradition we are proud to carry forward."

The initiative is supported through the Voice of the Ocean Foundation.

Read more about Rolf Warming´s research
Read more about the Mary Rose Trust
Read more about the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute