
What does it mean to be an island people? How has our rich & complex relationship with the sea shaped our national psyche? This beautifully illustrated exploration of Britain's maritime history sets out to discuss these questions. Brian Lavery takes the reader on a journey around the ports & harbours of Britain's coast, across rivers & along canals, climbing up lighthouses & strolling down piers. He moves with consummate skill between topics as varied as the rise of the Royal Navy or the development of specialised fisheries, the motives behind exploration & emigration or the protection of our shores from invasion, to deliver an all-encompassing history that is accessible & revealing. The pages are alive with tales of the great naval heroes, famous battles, legendary explorers & talented shipbuilders & architects. Each chapter
Includes:: a featured ship, dockyard, museum or notable maritime site, such as Chatham Dockyard, the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, HMS Belfast, Liverpool's historic port, & the birthplace of Sir Walter Raleigh. The book is rounded off with a Gazeteer of over 100 heritage sites. The book is published as part of the major Sea Britain 2005 initiative whose aim is to co-ordinate all the various events that are planned for the Trafalgar bicentennary & promote the role that the sea plays & has played in British culture. Partners include The National Maritime Museum, The National Trust, English Heritage, the RNLI, The Royal Yachting Association & the Official Nelson Commemorative Committee, among others, with the support of the Department of Culture, Media & Sport. Each of these organisations has made a committment to the promotion of this book.