Tudor and Stuart ship models

These models represent the evolution of ships in the Tudor and Stuart times.

Watch the hanging of these delicate objects in the gallery:

Ships constructed in the 1500s, such as the Mary Rose, were like floating castles that struggled to make long voyages.

The proceeding years saw new designs, such as the three-deck ship Prince Royal (1610), the Navy's largest ship at that time.

By the late 17th century, ships were faster, stronger and more stable than ever before.