The Mary Willoughby was an English Tudor navy ship active from at least 1532 until her sale in 1573. Named after Maria Willoughby, a lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon, the vessel served in various military and diplomatic engagements during her career. Although specific dimensions are not recorded, she was rebuilt in 1551, increasing her burthen from 140 to 160 builder’s measure (bm), indicating a significant enlargement. Constructed as a ship of war, she was involved in notable maritime operations. Early in her service, she was captured by the Scots in 1533 by Hector Maclean’s galleys and was incorporated into the Royal Scots Navy, only to be recaptured by the English in September 1547. Her armament in 1548 included various cannons such as a serpentine, port pieces, slings, bases, and a hagbut, complemented by handarms like bills, pikes, and spears, with a crew of approximately 146 men and 14 gunners. Throughout her career, Mary Willoughby participated in several significant campaigns. She was involved in the blockade of a London merchant ship in Brittany in 1542, and in 1544, she, alongside other Scottish vessels, menaced and attacked English coastal targets, including the burning of a hulk at Bridlington. Notably, she was part of the fleet that returned to Leith in December 1544 after operations along the English coast. The vessel also took part in military expeditions such as the failed assault on Kirkwall in 1557, with a fleet commanded by John Clere, and in the 1558 raids on Kintyre and surrounding areas during the conflict with Scotland. Her service extended to aiding Scottish Protestants during the Siege of Leith in 1560 under William Winter. Ultimately, the Mary Willoughby was decommissioned and sold in 1573, marking the end of her nearly five-decade-long service. Her history reflects the turbulent maritime conflicts of the Tudor period and her role as a versatile naval asset in both war and diplomacy.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.