In this extract, we return to the 18th century to find Daniel Defoe’s description of the port of Harwich and[…]
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Tag: Daniel Defoe
Changing times for the sailing colliers, 1727
What would travellers from the days of sail make of Harwich Harbour in the 21st century? Daniel Defoe takes to[…]
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Crossing the turbulent tides of the Severn
During his travels, Daniel Defoe finds himself at Aust, awaiting a ferry to cross the Severn Estuary from Gloucestershire, England[…]
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Perilous storms in Plymouth Sound: 1703
In this extract by Daniel Defoe, he reflects on the town of Plymouth, noting its importance as a safe anchorage[…]
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Michaelmas fishing fair at Yarmouth, 1726
Daniel Defoe describes the fishing fair and other trading activity in Yarmouth, during his travels in Norfolk. He is most[…]
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Storm off Winterton Ness, 1692
Daniel Defoe describes a terrible disaster when 200 sailing colliers were lost off the east coast of England in 1692.[…]
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Swept from Helford to the Isle of Wight: 1703
The renowned ‘Great storm’ of November 1703 hit the west coast of England, resulting in ships being driven ashore or,[…]
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18th century Portsmouth harbour
This extract combines an evocative view of Portsmouth from the open sea, painted by Dominic Serres in the 18th century[…]
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A most dangerous coast (1726)
Daniel Defoe describes this stretch of coast, from the Thames to Yarmouth Roads, as one of the ‘most dangerous and[…]
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River Waveney navigation, Norfolk Broads
In this extract, Daniel Defoe writes about navigation of the River Waveney, as it reaches the sea at Yarmouth and[…]
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