A plaque on the quarterdeck commemorates the (possible) spot where Nelson fell, caught in the back by a sniper's musket. His body was famously preserved by being sealed in a barrel of brandy for the return to England, where he was buried with full state honours in the capital's St Paul's Cathedral.

The Victory is much more than just the story of one battle, though. She saw action in the American Wars of Independence (on the losing side, that time), in the Caribbean and on the Nile, and had already been extensively refitted by the time of Trafalgar.

The life of the seamen on board, including what they ate and drank, is a fascinating topic in itself, while the life of its most celebrated crew member, including his tempestuous liaison with Emma Hamilton, would keep today's gossip-writers in work for years.