In Britain we have always been known for our Navy. As we are an island this probably should not come as much of a surprise. However, despite this belief it is something of a myth. The real idea of a British Navy came about in the times of the Tudors and it was created by the vision of King Henry the Eighth. He decided that it would be prudent for England to have a large fleet and increased its size tenfold. This included his great flagship the Mary Rose, which promptly sank as soon as it left the harbour to go out to battle.
All of these ships were built using wood. Naturally this kept Southampton Timber Merchants extremely busy as they began the process of felling and preparing trees for the newly requested fleet. You can bet that modern timber merchants like Timbco Timber merchants Southampton way would still be able to help if the crown ever needed them.
The mighty oak was the wood of choice for the Navy. Oak is an incredibly dense and compact wood that still gives great buoyancy. It is also the best material for creating strong ships that could support the cannons that were to be fitted. Naval battles were not very common, most conflicts were decided on the land, and the main role of the ships was to deliver the troops, horses and equipment to the mainland safely. Oak was also a wood that could easily cut and shaped into the particular parts that the shipwrights needed.