The – Y4 writing task Summer 2 Week 3

The Mary rose was a successful war ship for King Henry VIII for 34 years, almost the entire duration of his reign. Read all about the history of The Mary Rose using this link: https://maryrose.org/the-history-of-the-mary-rose/ It really does have the most incredible history! You can click on further links if you want to find out more about each section, that is up to you. Now you have read about the history of The Mary Rose you are probably wondering how she sank. We know from eyewitness accounts this:

The Mary Rose fired from her starboard side, then came about to fire from the port side. As she turned, she listed to one side, her starboard side low in the water. The Spanish Ambassador Francois van der Delft, an eyewitness to the battle, wrote that the ship “heeled over with the wind”. The starboard gunports were, crucially, left open, and, with the final nudge from the wind, they fatally dipped below the

waterline. The water flooded in and the ship went down in a matter of minutes. Of the nearly 500 men on board, no more than 35 survived.

The Mary Rose Museum puts forward four theories on why The Mary Rose sank – have a read of them here https://maryrose.org/why-did-the-mary-rose-sink/

Which of these four theories do you think could be the reason The Mary Rose sank? Do you think it is a combination of those theories?

TASK • Can you write an eyewitness account of the sinking of The Mary Rose? The date is 19th July 1545.You could be standing with King Henry VIII at , watching The Battle of , or perhaps you are a member of crew on another boat in the fleet – Peter Pomegranate for instance. Can you describe the scene, the weather, The Solent and then use the sources from The Mary Rose Museum to describe the moment The Mary Rose fired at the French Naval fleet from her right side (the starboard side) before turning sharply to fire again from the left. Remember we think she sank in a matter of minutes and most of the crew sadly drowned – Tudor sailors overall could not swim. Through an eyewitness account, a writer can share an experience with someone who has never seen the event. A writer’s vivid retelling of an experience can create something like a movie in the reader’s mind, allowing him or her to imagine every detail and action.

TIPS: • A good eyewitness account will give plenty of specific information to create a complete picture of the event for the reader. • Use the theories to shape your writing – perhaps you can hear Sir shouting at his men? • Can you describe the sudden gust of wind that suddenly blew through the Solent, just as The Mary Rose was turning? • Can you describe the way The Mary Rose was leaning – you might be able to see her gun ports were open and the sea water gushing in. • Did you hear the mighty French canons fire and then see The Mary Rose sink? • Remember you are writing in the first person – you are witnessing what is happening. • Try to use good description and adjectives so your writing really creates the tension of the moment, how did you feel watching this event?

Extension work If you have enjoyed reading and finding out about The Mary Rose, you might want to read on further – her history did not end in 1545! Four hundred and fifty -seven years later she was salvaged from the seabed and carefully restored, you may have visited The Mary Rose museum and seen her. Someone in your family may remember the day in 1982 that Henry VIIIs warship was raised, it was thought that over 60 million people around the world watched it live on television. Mrs Stagg was one of them! You can read more about this incredible project here: https://maryrose.org/recovering-the-mary-rose/

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/video/2016/jul/19/mary-rose-warship-reopens-after-5m- makeover-video