Conserving the Mary Rose: Tudor Treasure, Modern Conservation Science

In this Life Scientific episode, Eleanor Schofield, conservation scientist and director of collections at the Mary Rose Trust, explains how decades of conservation keep the restored Tudor warship and its artefacts afloat. From salvaging the Mary Rose in 1982 to the ongoing PEG impregnation, controlled drying, and meticulous monitoring, she reveals the delicate balance between preserving authenticity and stabilising the wood and accompanying objects. The discussion travels from the ship hall at Portsmouth to the scientific frontier of synchrotron imaging, brick conservation, and artefact care, interwoven with personal resilience and the lessons she’s learned along the way. The programme also highlights the collaborative, international nature of maritime conservation and the importance of training the next generation of scientists.

Introduction and setting

The Life Scientific team records at the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth, where maritime history meets conservation science. Eleanor Schofield, conservation manager turned director of collections at the Mary Rose Trust, guides us through why the Mary Rose is such a remarkable historic relic, hosting a cross-section of Tudor life from ship fittings to daily objects.

"the largest collection of Tudor objects in the whole world" - Eleanor Schofield

From student to ship conservator

Eleanor describes her path from Imperial College London, where she studied material science and engineering, through a PhD on synchrotron science, to a postdoc applying these techniques to real-world problems such as radioactive groundwater. She emphasizes the appeal of real-world applications and interdisciplinary work.

"the real world application of it, of really clearly seeing why it mattered" - Eleanor Schofield

Salvage, PEG, and slow drying

The Mary Rose was salvaged in 1982 and underwent years of polyethylene glycol (PEG) impregnation to replace water in the wood, followed by a gradual drying process. The Drying program used a network of drying tubes around the ship, modeled for airflow, temperature, humidity, and other variables to ensure uniform drying. The aim is minimal intervention while keeping the ship authentic and stable.

"Everything that we're trying to do is minimal intervention to try and keep it as authentic as possible" - Eleanor Schofield

Artefacts, challenges, and lessons

Schofield discusses the wide range of artefacts—knit combs, ship’s dog remains, food remnants, and even cannonballs—that tell the Tudor story. The team grapples with marine iron and seawater effects, chloride management, and the need to re-evaluate conservation strategies in light of new findings, such as when iron cannonballs started cracking after display.

"the iron cannonballs started cracking" and then "we had to take them back off display" - Eleanor Schofield

Data-driven conservation and bricks

The project has evolved toward comprehensive data integration, including laser scans and chemical data to map changes in wood and bricks. Bricks, with salts forming within, required dedicated research to understand deterioration pathways and identify suitable storage and display conditions.

"we were able to show what was forming, predict how that was going to be challenging for the bricks" - Eleanor Schofield

Future directions and training the next generation

Looking ahead, the Mary Rose team plans to map data into a cohesive model of the ship’s condition, integrating diverse data streams to guide future interventions and share insights with the public. Schofield also speaks about mentoring students from the University of Kent and Imperial College London, encouraging breadth and cross-disciplinary skill sets.

"keep things broad and think about how you might learn one specific skill, but apply it to something else" - Eleanor Schofield