Pic: Pringle Brandon
After a year in which we have been vigorously celebrating the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII’s accession to the English throne, today (June 24 2009) marks the actual anniversary of the event and it coincides with news that would have pleased the famously cantankerous Monarch.
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) have given the final go-ahead for a £21 million grant to the Mary Rose Trust to complete the conservation of Henry’s favourite warship, the Mary Rose, and to build a permanent museum for the ship and the artefacts in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
"This is indeed great news. The Mary Rose has been described by historian Dr David Starkey as this country's Pompeii, painting the finest picture of the world of sixteenth century life,” said John Lippiett, Chief Executive of the Mary Rose Trust.
The new musuem will reunite the ship with its numerous treasures. Pic: Pringle Brandon
“The HLF has today demonstrated their real commitment to the nation's heritage and ensured this truly unique ship and collection remains forever. When better to celebrate than during the month which marks the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's accession - we think he would be delighted!"
The Mary Rose Trust has raised £10 million of the final £35 million for the new Museum, which is scheduled to open in time for the 2012 Olympics. Details are now being finalised to launch a public fundraising appeal for the final £4 million next month.
In the meantime visitors are being urged to view the iconic ship in its current atmospheric berth, where it is protected behind a screen and doused with a water-based wax solution called polyethylene glycol. The famous warship will be withdrawn, temporarily, from view in the autumn.
The green light means that the construction of the new museum, located alongside Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory, can now proceed.
“Our call now is for people to help with the final push towards funding when we launch our fundraising appeal and to make sure that they visit the ship hall before the autumn if they've never had the chance to see the hull, before she's withdrawn temporarily," added Mr Lippiett.
The existing Mary Rose Museum will remain open throughout the construction phase where the hull will be interpreted imaginatively alongside a new introductory film, enhanced displays and time-lapse photography.
Built around the ship, the new museum will reunite her preserved hull with many thousands of artefacts unseen for over 500 years. The hull will be carefully dried within the new museum until she can be displayed fully in 2016, when visitors will be able to walk through the display containing the Mary Rose.
The new museum, will be designed by a team comprising Wilkinson Eyre Architects (architect), Pringle Brandon (interior design) and Land Design Studio (exhibition design and interpretation, in collaboration with Gifford (structural and M&E engineer).
