Exhibition 'HMS Warspite' in Marazion Museum
The museum has a display of materials and a model relating to HMS Warspite, a Queen Elizabeth class battleship that ended her days on Marazion beach (1950-56). The Warspite was the most decorated Royal Navy warship ever, serving in both World Wars. There is a large model of the Warspite as she was launched in 1915 - this is the original shipbuilder's model (Devonport Dockyard). We also have her ensign (12 foot by 6 foot) and numerous other artefacts, plus a host of photographs that are available to browse through. Warspite was decommissioned by the Royal Navy in 1946 and sold for scrap - she was being towed from Portsmouth to the breaker's yard in Scotland in 1947 when she broke her tow in a storm and was driven ashore off Cudden Point, Cornwall. She was then stuck on the rocks at Prussia Cove until 1950 when she was refloated, but was towed only a couple of miles before being beached at Marazion where she remained and was broken up on site over the period until 1956.
