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
Extracts are taken from the work of Daniel Defoe, “A tour thro’ the whole island of Great Britain, divided into circuits or journies”, 1727
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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