Domestic Utensils

Food & Drink - Page 5 of 5

Beer was probably drunk from the all of the different types of drinking vessels excavated from the Mary Rose. Officers drank from pewter tankards, with the beer served from larger pewter flagons. Drinking vessels for the men included stave built wood tankards, lined with pitch to keep them watertight. Again, the beer was probably served from the larger stave built flagons recovered. These were manufactured in the same way as the smaller tankards, but could hold at least a gallon of beer.

Leather flasks, of varying shapes, some with embossed or scored decoration, were also lined with pitch to keep them watertight. All of the leather flasks, with a stopper, feature two lugs or ears to allow the attachment of a strap, thereby enabling the owner to carry his supply of beer with him at all times, without spillage. This was a definite design advantage over the single handled pewter or wood tankards with hinged lids. It is not certain, however that all the men on board drank from tankards or flasks. Less than 50 drinking vessels of any size were actually recovered. It is likely that those men occupying the lowest echelons of shipboard society recieved their daily ration of beer in the humblest of vessels, a wood bowl or dish.

Let us leave the final word to Sir Edward Howard, admiral on board the Mary Rose in 1513.

"Sir for Godd's sake, send by post all along the coste that they brew bere and make biskets that we may have some refresshyng to kepe us together uppon this cost".7

References: All from the Calendar of State Papers

  1. 5th Aug 1512, John Stile to Hen VIII. Vesp. C. I., 65 BM
  2. 8th June 1513, Thomas Lord Howard to the Council. SP Hen. VIII, 229, f.187. RO
  3. 18th Jan 1525, Stores, RO
  4. 21st May 1513, Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester to Wolsey. SP Hen. VIII, 4, f67, RO
  5. Ib., f.74 RO
  6. 21st June Earl of Surrey to Hen. VIII. RO
  7. Apr 1513, SP Hen. VIII, 3, f.149. RO. Ellis, 3S., I., 145
Bibliography:
  • Elkerton A. Stowage - Function and Structure, Mary Rose Trust - in house report. 1996
  • Hildred A. The Material Culture of the Mary Rose as a Fighting Vessel - Uses of Wood. Paper given at Artefacts from Wrecks Conference, Cardiff 1994
  • Vine S. The History of the Mary Rose. - 1996.

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