Beyond the ordinary
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Timber & Tides
The first in the series Heroes of the Deep, Timber & Tides tells the extraordinary story of Tom Harcourt, a boy from Portsmouth whose life becomes inseparably bound to one of England’s greatest warships, Henry VIII’s Mary Rose. From the hammering of timbers in the bustling Tudor dockyards to the thunder of cannon fire at sea, Tom’s journey unfolds alongside the rise and fall of a nation at war and the ambitions of a formidable monarch.
As a child, Tom dreams among the shipbuilders; as a young man, he serves aboard the proud Mary Rose herself. Through triumph and secrecy, loyalty and loss, he shares in the life of the ship and ultimately in her tragic fate. His imagined journey offers readers an intimate, human perspective on a vessel that has come to symbolise England’s naval heritage.
Written as a tribute to the ship, her crew, and the enduring spirit of discovery that brought the Mary Rose back to the surface, Timber & Tides invites readers to encounter the vessel not merely as an archaeological treasure, but as a living presence in our shared history, a proud voice from the age of sail, still whispering across the waters of time.
Rich in historical detail, courage, and the heartbeat of adventure, Timber & Tides is a timeless tale of loyalty, loss, and the unbreakable bond between a boy and the ship that would define his destiny.
Ted said:
"Launching Timber & Tides in January feels especially fitting. It is the same month that construction began in Portsmouth in 1510—a moment when timber, tide, and human ambition combined to shape a maritime legacy. That shared sense of beginnings, of craft meeting the sea, resonates deeply with this novel and the world it brings to life"
Timber & Tides is available on Amazon as an e-book, paperback & hardcover.
5-STAR REVIEWS
TIMBER & TIDES : Heroes of the Deep eBook : Hill MBE, Ted : Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
Coverage in Daily Echo: Hamble author releases novel on Tudor Mary Rose ship | Daily Echo
The Mary Rose, King Henry VIII’s magnificent flagship, has long captured the imagination of generations. Before the King’s very eyes, she met her tragic fate, sinking swiftly into the waters of the Solent on that fateful July day in 1545. For over four centuries she lay silent beneath the sea, a time-locked witness to an age of ambition, courage, and loss, until her extraordinary resurrection in October 1982. Today she rests in Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard, preserved with reverence, surrounded by the relics of Tudor life that once moved upon her decks.
Born of ambition and innovation, the Mary Rose was carvel-built, broad and powerful, her hull bristling with cannon, her watertight gun-ports a marvel of their age. She rose in Portsmouth alongside her sister ship, the Peter Pomegranate, embodying the pride and power of a nation finding its voice at sea. She fought bravely, was renewed in 1536, and for decades symbolised England’s growing confidence upon the waters.
Yet on that summer’s day, glory gave way to tragedy. As Henry watched from Southsea Castle, the Mary Rose heeled, water poured through her open gun-ports, and she was gone. Hundreds perished; only thirty-five survived. Even in sinking, she preserved herself, her starboard side resting intact in the Solent’s clay, a silent testament to lives lived and lost.
Beyond the ordinary
My sincere thanks are extended to the exceptional Mary Rose Museum and to Phill Upshall, a dedicated volunteer with Wetwheels Hamble, for supplying the photograph of the site marker in the Solent.
Latitude: 50° 45.80′ N Longitude: 1° 06.20′ W
The simple, weathered yellow marker buoy stands as a poignant testament to those who served aboard the Mary Rose.