1. HMS Victory
One of the most famous ships in the history of the Royal Navy (as seen above), Victory was the ship of Horatio Nelson when the British triumphed at the Battle of Trafalgar. Nelson was ultimately killed on the ship, which remains synonymous with him.
2. The Bismarck
At over 800 hundred feet in length, the Bismarck was not only the biggest warship in the early part of World War Two, but it was also the fastest. This German ship didn’t survive the War, but how it came to be sunk has never been determined.
3. RMS Titanic
At the time this giant ship was built, it was thought to be unsinkable. Sadly, in April 1912 it hit an iceberg on its way from Southampton to New York City, and more than 1,500 people died as a result.
4. The Mayflower
A ship of major historical importance, the Mayflower transported the Pilgrim Fathers from England to America in 1620.
5. HMS Bounty
A ship forever linked with a mutiny in 1789, which was led by Fletcher Christian. The Bounty had been acquired by the Royal Navy in 1787. Its planned botanical mission in the Pacific Ocean ended in dramatic fashion as mutineers forced William Bligh, the ship’s captain, off the ship.
6. HMS Endeavour
The Endeavour was a ship made famous by the British explorer Captain James Cook. In 1770 it became the first known ship to reach Australia.
7. RMS Lusitania
The United States entered World War One following the sinking of this ocean liner by the German Navy. More than a thousand people perished after a torpedo sank the Lusitania off the coast of Ireland in 1915.
8. The Golden Hind
Used by Sir Francis Drake to circumnavigate the world in the 16th Century, the Golden Hind remains one of Britain’s most celebrated ships.
9. SS Arizona
SS Arizona was one of the first great passenger liners of the 19th Century. Her regular route was Liverpool to New York City.
10. The Mary Rose
The warship of Henry VIII’s, the Mary Rose sank in 1545. Interest in this ship soared, however, when she was rediscovered in 1971.