Sailing the Ship - ROPE
 

On a sailing ship in the mid 18th century, rope was the working heart of the ship and was used for all manner of work on board. It is estimated that including the rope in storage below decks there would have been in excess of 40 miles on board a Man-O-War such as Invincible. Rope on board any sailing ship can be divided into two distinct categories

RUNNING RIGGING - was the term used for all rope which ran through blocks etc and was not fixed. In the main, this would have been untreated, natural hemp, which did not last very long against all the elements.

STANDING RIGGING - on the other hand this was the term used for all static or fixed rope work which never moved or ran through blocks or eyelets etc. For example the rope used in the shrouds, dead eyes, seizing off blocks etc.. Because of this static fixing, standing rigging was made to last longer by coating/impregnating it with 'Stockholm tar'.

 
THE INGENIUOS BRITISH TAR British sailors generally grew their hair long. One reason for this was to enable them to 'plat' their hair down their backs. Before going into battle, it is said that some would impregnate this 'plat' with STOCKHOLM TAR thus providing considerable protection to the back of their necks. This practice earned them the name 'The British Tar'. (The only efficient way we can cut this tarred hemp rope by hand even now is with an axe).
 
  The reason the rope has survived for over 230 years on the seabed is due entirely to the tar impregnation. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the tar for strength and preservation. Rope usage included; - Rigging Gun Blocks Steering linkages Anchor cables Netting Hammocks etc.
 
WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH THE BORED SAILOR?
To save the crew getting bored in times of little activity, a good Captain would offer a shilling to the man who could create the most decorative and inventive piece of rope work.
JUNK
Due to the nature of the running rigging, it wore out fairly quickly and was of no further use on board ship. This was known as JUNK RIGGING and was generally sold to one of the mates to a land person who dealt in second hand goods. This second hand merchant became known as a 'JUNK MAN'.
 
Your piece of hemp rope has a certificate of authentication. and was recovered from the forward rope locker on the wreck of the Invincible.
Although we excavated rope up to the 22" anchor cable, there are basically three different sizes available for sale as memorabilia from this famous shipwreck: -
 
1. The small section is approx 12 mm dia. Only short lengths left approx. 200 mm ( 8" )long.
 
2. Then there is the medium size approx 25 mm (1") dia. This is sold either mounted on a plinth ( shown in image left) or loose. There longest remaining loose length is approx. 1200 mm (4 feet).
 

3. And finally there is the largest available section rope, which was probably used for shrouds or possibly kedge anchor cable (shown in image right) This largest rope is approx. 75 mm (3") dia. There is a limited amount of this left for sale in lengths up to 3 meters. The section on the right is seen resting against one of the many gunpowder barrels recovered from the wreck. This particular piece is now owned by author Julian Stockwin. He finds that handling the rope is inspiration for his superb series of novels on the life of Kydd.

Julian's "fathom" of rope is mounted on a superb ash backboard which was manufactured by a very fine cabinet maker, John Burchett. The rope was carefully cleaned and then revitalsed with genuine imported Stockholm tar to give it the wonderfully atmospheric aroma, found only when aboard an eighteenth century, fully rigged Man - o War.
Prices:
Small rope in bag £0.95
Medium rope (approx 8" long) on mahogany plinth £19.95 - OR £10 per 500 mm length loose
Large rope (loose, untreated, seabed condition) £10.00 per 300 mm length or £25.00 per meter
Large rope cleaned, treated with Stockholme tar with a decorative (natural hemp) turks head at each end. £50 per half fathom
Large rope mounted on backboard or presented in any other preferred manner. Price on request