Almost 500 years after it sank, the fascinating secrets of Henry VIII’s flagship vessel were laid bare for Girlguiding Petersfield division members to discover.

Stepping back in time on their very own maritime adventure, around 30 Brownie and Guides visited The Mary Rose Museum at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

Immersing themselves in Tudor times, members of 1st Sheet Brownies, 3rd Liss Brownies, 1st Petersfield Guides and 1st Liss Guides joined the event and had great fun working in teams to load and fire a full-size replica cannon.

Other highlights included exploring the dubious culinary delights the 415-strong crew would have consumed aboard and getting a taste of the arduous duties many of them would have undertaken, from working the sails and adjusting the rigging, to washing the decks and keeping a lookout.

The girls enjoyed testing their strength pulling an archery bow, handling relics, dressing up and even examining the bones of the ship’s dog.

Leader Phoebe Hiscock said: “It was a great day and a brilliant adventure for all the girls. We all learnt so much and had great fun at the same time.

“At one point we felt like we were divers discovering the Mary Rose and actually swimming underwater in an indoor cinema experience. There were real bubbles coming from the ceiling which made it even more realistic.”

Phoebe, who has led Girlguiding units in Petersfield and Liss for 35 years, said adventure is just one of a number of benefits the organisation offers its young members.

“Girls get so much from Girlguiding whether its friendship, teamwork, learning life skills or thinking of others,” she added.

“On our Mary Rose adventure day we were praised on their positive attitude, and we couldn’t have been prouder of them.”