HMS Mary Willoughby
Encyclopedia
Mary Willoughby was a ship of the Royal Navy
. She was appears in the navy list
s from 1535, during the reign of Henry VIII. She was named after Maria Willoughby, a lady-in-waiting and close friend of Catherine of Aragon
. The ship was taken by the Scots in 1536 and joined the Royal Scots Navy
, The English recaptured her in 1547. The ship was rebuilt in 1551, increasing in size from 140 bm
to 160 bm.
in his voyages to the Isles. The ship had major re-fit between November 1539 and June 1540, by Florence Cornetoun costing £2566-18s-8d Scots. Cardinal Beaton
paid £6 for painting her in July 1541. In December 1542, the Mary Willoughby, the Salamander
and the Lion
blockaded a London merchant ship called the Antony of Bruges in a creek on the coast of Brittany. The Willoughby fired on the Anthony, and the crew abandoned ship. The French authority at "Poldavy Haven" accepted a Scottish warrant shown to them by its Captain, named Kerr.
In March 1547 the Mary Willoughby and another Scottish ship, reportedly the Great Spaniard of 200 tons, were blockading the New Haven by Dieppe
. William Patten
believed that the Mary Willoughby was captured on the Forth near Blackness Castle
by Edward Clinton on 15 September 1547.
. Handarms included 12 bills, 7 moorish pikes, and three spears. There were 146 crew with 14 gunners.
After re-construction in 1551, in August 1557 the ship was one of a fleet of 12 that unsuccessfully assaulted the town of Kirkwall
on Orkney, landing troops and six field guns on Orkney to attack the castle of Kirkwall, St. Magnus Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace
. Seven other ships of the fleet were royal, which included the New Bark, the Minion, Henry, Solomon, Bull, Tiger, Greyhound, and Gabriel. Veteran ships of the Kirkwall raid came to the aid of the Scottish Protestants at the Siege of Leith
in January 1560, including the Willoughby, all under the command of Willam Winter.
The Mary Willoughby was sold in 1573.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. She was appears in the navy list
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
s from 1535, during the reign of Henry VIII. She was named after Maria Willoughby, a lady-in-waiting and close friend of Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
. The ship was taken by the Scots in 1536 and joined the Royal Scots Navy
Royal Scots Navy
The Royal Scots Navy was the navy of the Kingdom of Scotland from its foundation in the 11th century until its merger with the Kingdom of England's Royal Navy per the Acts of Union 1707.- Origins :...
, The English recaptured her in 1547. The ship was rebuilt in 1551, increasing in size from 140 bm
Builder's Old Measurement
Builder's Old Measurement is the method of calculating the size or cargo capacity of a ship used in England from approximately 1720 to 1849. It estimated the tonnage of a ship based on length and maximum beam...
to 160 bm.
Scottish service
The Mary Willoughby was used by James VJames V of Scotland
James V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...
in his voyages to the Isles. The ship had major re-fit between November 1539 and June 1540, by Florence Cornetoun costing £2566-18s-8d Scots. Cardinal Beaton
David Beaton
The Most Rev. Dr. David Cardinal Beaton was Archbishop of St Andrews and the last Scottish Cardinal prior to the Reformation.-Career:...
paid £6 for painting her in July 1541. In December 1542, the Mary Willoughby, the Salamander
Salamander of Leith
Salamander of Leith was a warship of the 16th-century Royal Scots Navy. She was a wedding present from Francis I of France to James V of Scotland....
and the Lion
Lion (warship)
Lion was the name of five warships of the Royal Scottish Navy during the 16th century, some of which were prizes captured by, and from the English...
blockaded a London merchant ship called the Antony of Bruges in a creek on the coast of Brittany. The Willoughby fired on the Anthony, and the crew abandoned ship. The French authority at "Poldavy Haven" accepted a Scottish warrant shown to them by its Captain, named Kerr.
In March 1547 the Mary Willoughby and another Scottish ship, reportedly the Great Spaniard of 200 tons, were blockading the New Haven by Dieppe
Dieppe, Seine-Maritime
Dieppe is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in France. In 1999, the population of the whole Dieppe urban area was 81,419.A port on the English Channel, famous for its scallops, and with a regular ferry service from the Gare Maritime to Newhaven in England, Dieppe also has a popular pebbled...
. William Patten
William Patten (historian)
William Patten was an author, scholar and government official during the reigns of King Edward VI and Queen Elizabeth I.-Early career:...
believed that the Mary Willoughby was captured on the Forth near Blackness Castle
Blackness Castle
Blackness Castle is a 15th century fortress, near the village of Blackness, Scotland, on the south shore of the Firth of Forth. It was built, probably on the site of an earlier fort, by Sir George Crichton in the 1440s. At this time, Blackness was the main port serving the Royal Burgh of...
by Edward Clinton on 15 September 1547.
Later English service
The armaments of the Mary Willoughby were listed in an inventory of 1 January 1548. The cannon included; a serpentine; 3 port pieces; 4 slings; a quarter sling; 9 double bases and 4 single bases; and a hagbutArquebus
The arquebus , or "hook tube", is an early muzzle-loaded firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. The word was originally modeled on the German hakenbüchse; this produced haquebute...
. Handarms included 12 bills, 7 moorish pikes, and three spears. There were 146 crew with 14 gunners.
After re-construction in 1551, in August 1557 the ship was one of a fleet of 12 that unsuccessfully assaulted the town of Kirkwall
Kirkwall
Kirkwall is the biggest town and capital of Orkney, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046 when it is recorded as the residence of Rögnvald Brusason the Earl of Orkney, who was killed by his uncle Thorfinn the Mighty...
on Orkney, landing troops and six field guns on Orkney to attack the castle of Kirkwall, St. Magnus Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace
Bishop's Palace, Kirkwall
The Bishop's Palace, Kirkwall was built at the same time as the adjacent St Magnus Cathedral in the centre of Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland, was being constructed, and housed the cathedral's first bishop, William the Old of the Norwegian Catholic church who took his authority from the Archbishop of...
. Seven other ships of the fleet were royal, which included the New Bark, the Minion, Henry, Solomon, Bull, Tiger, Greyhound, and Gabriel. Veteran ships of the Kirkwall raid came to the aid of the Scottish Protestants at the Siege of Leith
Siege of Leith
The Siege of Leith ended a twelve year encampment of French troops at Leith, the port near Edinburgh, Scotland. The French troops arrived by invitation in 1548 and left in 1560 after the English arrived to assist in removing them from Scotland...
in January 1560, including the Willoughby, all under the command of Willam Winter.
The Mary Willoughby was sold in 1573.