Mary Rose replica shipped in to mark Oak Fair anniversary

On Sunday 24 August at the 10th annual Stock Gaylard Oak Fair, organiser Andrew Langmead was presented with a backgammon board made from a 160-year-old oak tree that was felled by Adam’s Axemen on the estate near Sherborne in 2007. Bill and Merle Moore, members of the Portsmouth-based Mary Rose Information Group, crafted the backgammon board to mark the countryside event’s 10-year anniversary, creating a true replica of the one found aboard Henry VIII’s ill-fated Mary Rose ship.

Andrew explains;

“The backgammon board is incredible, I’d like to thank Bill and Merle for their generosity and for returning to the Oak Fair year on year with their fantastic displays of Mary Rose replicas. This is a perfect gift to mark our 10th anniversary and is a testament to the fantastic traditional crafts on offer here at the Oak Fair.”

The Stock Gaylard Oak Fair was held on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 August and welcomed a record number of visitors, with more than 8,000 people attending to enjoy a weekend of crafts, countryside displays and the finest local produce on the grounds of this beautiful estate. The 11th Stock Gaylard Oak Fair will return on Saturday 29 August 2015.

For more information about The Mary Rose Trust and Museum please visit www.historicdockyard.co.uk.