Entry to Great Michael Close, Newhaven

Image: © kim traynor Taken: 7 Jan 2011

The name of this wee close is a reminder of James IV's great project of building a ship to out-rival any in the navies of England and France. The construction of the 'Great Michael' at Newhaven, with its oak-timbers up to ten feet thick, was said to have deforested Fife. It proved difficult to navigate, never saw action and was eventually hired and then sold to the French King after the Scottish defeat at Flodden in 1513. Opinions differ as to whether she ever took to sea again and it is believed that she rotted away in the port of Brest. "The King buildit a great schip, called The Michael, quhilk was ane verrie monstrous great schip, for this schip tuik so meikle timber, that schoe waisted all the woodis in Fyfe, except Falkland wood, forby [as well as] the timber that cam out of Norway, for many of the schipwrightis in Scotland wrought at hir and all wrought bussillie the space of ane yeir at hir. […] She cumbered all Scotland to gett hir to the sea, and when shoe was committed to the sea and vnder saill, shoe was counted to the King to fourtie thousand pund of expensis, by her ordouris and cannons quhilkis shoe bair. Shoe had thrie hunder marineris to governe hir, six scoir gunneris to vse her artaillerie, and ane thousand men of warre forby captains, skipperis, and quartermaisteris." -- Robert Lindesay of Pitscottie, 1554 Image

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