The Mary Rose Trust
Analysis
The Mary Rose Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Portsmouth. It was registered in March 1979, 47 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01415654). It says it provides human resources, provides buildings/facilities/open space and sponsors or undertakes research.
In the financial year ending March 2025, The Mary Rose Trust reported income of £3.2m and spending of £4.4m, spending 138% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £2.2m to £3.2m (+47%), an average of +10% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 64%. Over the whole period it spent 130% of the income it received.
Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The Mary Rose Trust sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Chiswick House and Gardens Trust (£3.2m), Lewes Community Screen (£3.2m) and The Royal Society of Biology (£3.2m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 69%, trading 17% and donations and legacies 12%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £3,228. Charitable activities took 90% of spending and raising funds 9.0%. Reserves of £382k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 67 people.
Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 12%
- Legacies 0.1%
- Charitable activities 69%
- Trading 17%
- Investments 0.3%
- Other 1.6%
In the charity's own words
To conserve the Mary Rose and her artefacts and display them to a wide audience.To maintain the archives and publish archaeological information and to promote and make accessible, research and knowledge relating to the Mary Rose.To provide world class expertise for maritime archaeology and the conservation of material recovered from underwater.To enable lifelong learning and outreach.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Chiswick House and Gardens Trust | London | £3.2m |
| Lewes Community Screen | Lewes | £3.2m |
| The Royal Society of Biology | London | £3.2m |
| Ballet Rambert Limited | 99 Upper Ground | £3.2m |