The perfect accompaniment to the collection of fourteen warship figureheads displayed in the atrium of The Box at Plymouth, this book introduces each of the figureheads, giving details of its design, the ship for which it was carved and the actions it witnessed when serving in the Royal Navy. To put these descriptions into perspective, early chapters tell the story of the development of warship figureheads over the centuries, the evolution of the figurehead collection at Devonport and the work of the figurehead carvers of Plymouth. As most of the figureheads on display come from the Devonport collection, the Directory at the end of the book provides a summary of all the figureheads that have appeared at some time in the collection and their fate.

David Pulvertaft’s interest in Royal Naval figureheads stems from a full career in the Service, followed by 25 years of research. He is a Fellow of the Society for Nautical Research.