Dr Ian Friel
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drianfriel.bsky.social
Dr Ian Friel
@drianfriel.bsky.social
290 followers 320 following 310 posts
Independent historian, FSA and FRHistS, specialising in maritime, local and house history, based in UK. Author of five books on maritime history, multiple research papers and house histories. www.ianfriel.co.uk Rep: @donaldwin.bsky.social
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drianfriel.bsky.social
A brief and light flurry of overnight snow in Chichester (West Sussex, UK), which hasn't seen much very much snow in recent decades.
The photo shows an upturned blue and white bowl on a wooden bench, with grass and plants behind - all with a light dusting of snow. The bowl and bench are picked out by the morning sunlight.
January 5, 2026 at 10:40 AM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Wishing everyone a happy and hopeful New Year!
Lights inside a blue glass jug, next to a Chinese-style pot, both sitting on a window sill with a closed Venetian blind behind.
December 31, 2025 at 4:53 PM
drianfriel.bsky.social
A Happy Christmas and a great New Year to everyone! (appropriately #maritime Christmas 'tree' composed of lobster pots, on the quay in the fishing port of Emsworth, Hampshire, UK, 24 December 2025).
A Christmas tree shape decorated with streamers and baubles, on the quay at Emsworth, 2025. It has been built from black lobster pots and is topped with the outline of a star. A swan and a ?coot can be seen in the water below, and small boats are visible in the background.
December 24, 2025 at 6:20 PM
drianfriel.bsky.social
In his spoof 1970 'biography' of the fictional Horatio Hornblower, Northcote Parkinson credited the Hornblower 'papers' at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich as a source.This led to a number of people wanting to access them: one man, when told they did not exist, accused the NMM of losing them!
The starboard side of HMS Victory, Portsmouth Naval Base. The photo shows the ship in its dry dock, supported by metal shores. The gunport lids are open, showing the mouths of cannon. First floated out of its building dock in 1765, the present ship is the product of several major rebuilds, and is currently undergoing major restoration work.
December 10, 2025 at 8:31 AM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Rare opportunity to share my one historic image of Indian railways! Came across this photo in a group of tiny, rather over-exposed images of India (c 1900-1910?), bought at a boot sale in the UK. Shows the #Railway station at #Khadki (Pune), India: probably taken by a British ex-pat.
A man driving a bullock cart in front of Khadki railway station. Another cart loaded with ?hay, drawn by two bullocks, can be seen to the right.
December 4, 2025 at 11:32 AM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Presumably in this case, the cat is playing the part of God. Our current four-legged manifestation of the divine is currently under my desk, relaxing after a hard day being at the Centre of Everything... (eerily glowing eyes are as standard)
Tortoiseshell cat next to a radiator.
December 3, 2025 at 5:11 PM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Great resource, tho' sadly not many muster lists survive for ships' crews! I did discover, tho', when working on my book about Henry V's 1413-22 navy that his 61 or so shipmasters mostly specialised in commanding either sailing vessels or oared warships- only 3 sailed in both types #maritimehistory
Bow view of the 15th-century Mataro Model, now in the Maritiem Museum Rotterdam (photo taken 1980). Evidently made by a shipwright, this extraordinary model has a high, upcurving stem topped by a forecastle with rails. There are two figureheads - one like a dragon's head that juts out from the bow, the other a human head in the forecastle above. The model originally hung in a chapel in Mataro, a town just up the coast from Barcelona, almost certainly as a votive offering. 15th-century English sailors would probably have called this type a carrack, a kind of vessel that originated in the Mediterranean. During Henry V's sea battles in the years 1416 and 1417 against the French and their Genoese and Spanish allies, English naval forces wee able to capture eight Genoese carracks, formidable vessels much larger than most English ships of the time.
December 2, 2025 at 1:00 PM
drianfriel.bsky.social
#RomanSiteSaturday I've posted these before, but they're maybe worth another outing. Nothing obviously Roman here at first sight, on the foreshore of #ChichesterHarbour. However, tangled up among the tree roots are lumps of Roman tile, from an adjacent tilery site.
Trees Wirth exposed roots on the shore of Chichester Harbour. A scatter of red clay is visible amid the screen of the seaweed. Fragments of Roman tile from the adjacent Roman tilery site, tangled up in the tree roots, Chichester Harbour.
November 22, 2025 at 10:05 AM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Glad to help! The bases probably looked a bit like these wrought-iron (15th cent) Venetian examples, or those from the #MaryRose. The word 'foist' came from the Italian 'fusta' (light galley), which had apparently come into English by 1485.
Two wrought-iron swivel gun barrels, mounted on reconstructed stocks. They have been dated to the 15th century, and were found in the Lagoon at Venice. The handle on the nearest gun is attached to the detachable breech chamber, which contained the powder charge. Guns like these normally fired stone or lead roundshot, or sometimes mixtures of metal fragments and stone, and were intended for use against the crews of enemy ships. The shot was loaded at the back of the barrel, before the breech chamber was put in place and secured with a rope binding.
November 12, 2025 at 8:03 PM
drianfriel.bsky.social
I like this photo, so thought I would post it. This visitor arrived in our back garden in Chichester in April 2024. A peregrine falcon, I think, but happy to be corrected (nesting peregrines have taken up residence in the tower of #Chichester Cathedral every year for the last 20 years+).
A ?peregrine falcon standing at the edge of a garden pond, with a small solar-powered fountain behind.
November 10, 2025 at 10:47 AM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Roman merchant vessel and oared warship on the Danube, from Trajan's Column in Rome (113 AD), which commemorated his Dacian Wars. The detail is incredible: regarding #maritimehistory interestingly, I don't recall seeing any vessels in this riverine campaign being shown with sails. #ReliefWednesday
A Roman merchant ship unloading (lefthand side) at a town quay and a bireme warship (right; bireme = two banks of oars). Soldier are shown unloading rope-bound packages from the merchant vessel, with the ?Emperor Trajan and a group other senior figures standing on the right.
October 29, 2025 at 9:57 PM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Thinking of wind powered ships, I've got a book called 'Something New in Model Boat Building' (publ 1945-50, I think) by D H Matheson with illus by Bernard Richardson. Among the conventional ship-type models are instructions for building a rotor ship, based on the principles developed in the 1920s!
The image shows a model ship with three rotors, which rotate int he wind and cause the vessel to move. The first rotor ship was designed and built in the mid-1920s by the German engineer Anton Flettner. Though it did not catch on then, the idea has been revived in recent decades as shipbuilders explore ways of propelling vessels that lower their carbon footprint.
October 29, 2025 at 1:03 PM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Working through some medieval manorial accounts for my maritime history book: every year the places were spending money on cart repairs - they seem to break or wear out regularly. #medievalsky @themerl.bsky.social can anyone suggest good recent works on road vehicles in medieval Britain, please?
A photo taken c 1906 in southern England, showing a boy with a horse and two-wheeled cart.
October 29, 2025 at 11:19 AM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Photo taken in East Street, Chichester (UK) just after sunset yesterday: shows the Cathedral spire, clock on the 1501 Market Cross (purple dot!) and the late 14th/early 15th cent Cathedral bell tower beyond. The red sky promised good weather today: it lied - the rain is tipping down this morning.
A view taken just after sunset in East Street (Chichester) looking west, with a deep red sky. The row of buildings on the left of there photo mostly date from the 18th century. The Market Cross, its clock dial illuminated with a purple glow, was built in 1501. It stands and the meeting-point of the four main streets of medieval Chichester - East, South, West and North Streets, which radiate in from the former positions of the Roman and medieval city gates.
October 29, 2025 at 10:57 AM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Another part of the western end of Hadrian's Wall - Bowness-on-Solway fort. Ph: portions of a W gate guard chamber & a piece of the W wall, dug by @lancasteruni.bsky.social archaeologists & students in December 1973. First excavation I ever took part in- freezing, gloomy, wet weather. It was great!
Black and white photo of an archaeological excavation of the western side of the Roman fort at Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria. Part of the northern guard chamber of the west gate is shown (left), with a section of the fort's wall at right angles to it.
October 27, 2025 at 1:05 PM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Is this a cat that thinks it's a jug, or a jug with feline aspirations? (and no, before anyone asks, her head did not get stuck in the jug).
A tortoiseshell cat standing on a windowsill, with its head in a blue jug.
October 23, 2025 at 9:56 AM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Very much enjoyed my visit to the Nautical Archaeology Society's Heritage Open Days event at Gosport, about studying the remains of MMS 113, a wooden WW2 minesweeper. The vessel was taken apart for its upper timbers (1950s?), but what is left is good for training students in surveying wrecksites.
September 14, 2025 at 3:01 PM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Absolute cloudburst in Chichester at the moment! Still, the plants will like it...
A back garden and furniture in heavy rain, photographed through glass. The fuzzy patches on the image are caused by rain on the glass.
July 31, 2025 at 1:51 PM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Amongst other things, I'm currently working on a #househistory in E Sussex. Most of the key sources are at the wonderful 'The Keep' at Falmer, home of the E Sussex Record Office. Rail journey involves a change at Brighton, & I never fail to be impressed by the station's magnificent 1882 canopy!
July 31, 2025 at 11:42 AM
drianfriel.bsky.social
HMS Hind was built at Itchenor on #ChichesterHarbour, W Sussex, one of 4 warships constructed in the 1740s by Chitty & Vernon. Nothing of the yard is now visible, but it lay between the house & yachts. It was used intermittently until early 1800s & in 1780s built 2 huge Eastindiamen #MaritimeHistory
The site of Chitty and Vernon's former 1740s shipyard at Itchenor on Chichester Harbour. Nothing of the yard is now visible, but it lay between the house on the left and the laid-up yachts in the distance. The yard had at least two launching slips.
July 23, 2025 at 9:46 AM
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We went out for a bike ride south of Chichester (UK) this afternoon in brilliant sunshine. Then...

Still drying out!
July 6, 2025 at 5:28 PM
drianfriel.bsky.social
I went to the Rotary charity dragon boat race on the Chichester Canal yesterday - great event and lots of excitement. It was also fascinating two truly ancient types of boat technology in use - paddles and a steering oar! #MaritimeHistory
A dragon boat in the race on Chichester Canal 22 June 2025. The dragon boat, based on a. Chinese design, has a red and green dragon figurehead. A drummer sits near the prow, beating a drum to enable the pairs of paddlers to keep time. The steerswoman stands at the stern, holding the steering oar. A dragon boat steerswoman and steering oar. The oar has a handle like that of an old-fashioned shovel. It is held in place between two metal uprights by rope or rubber strops. The long, straight blade of the steering oar is partially visible.
June 23, 2025 at 10:46 AM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Just posting a beautiful sight for a Monday - the sky at Chichester about half an hour before sunset on the longest day.
The setting sun and clouds over Chichester (UK) at about 8.50pm on Saturday 21 June 2025. Rays of sunlight can be seen projecting through the clouds.
June 23, 2025 at 10:31 AM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Really enjoyed giving a talk about my historical research for the 13th-century Mortar Wreck project with Tom Cousins of @buarchanth.bsky.social speaking about the extraordinary archaeological finds at the @antiquaries.bsky.social last evening! #maritimehistory #medievalhistory #MedievalSky
The lecture room in the Society of Antiquaries at Burlington House, London, showing speaker, lectern and the projection screen. The image behind 'The Maritime World of the Mortar Wreck' title slide shows a 13th/14th century graffito of a one-masted ship carved on a pillar in the church of St Mary the Virgin, Hayling Island, Hampshire UK. Photo courtesy of Tom Cousins. 13th/14th century graffito of a one-masted ship carved on a pillar in the church of St Mary the Virgin, Hayling Island, Hampshire UK. The ship has a curved bow and straight stern, with a bowsprit projecting from the bow (with a flagstaff and triangular flag at its tip) and a crenellated aftercastle at the stern. The standing rigging, the ropes that support the mast, are shown in some detail, along 2with some other rigging, and the sail is furled against the yard. A cable goes from the bow to an (off-camera) anchor. The graffito may well have had a votive purpose, drawn in the church to give thanks for a safe voyage, or to ask for protection in an upcoming journey.
June 20, 2025 at 9:46 AM
drianfriel.bsky.social
Francis Drake commanded the fleet that fought the Spanish Armada. No! The English fleet was led by Lord High Admiral Charles Howard: Drake was a vice-admiral. At one point he even disobeyed an order to tail the Armada through the night & sailed off to capture a damaged (& lucrative) Spanish ship!
Full-size plaster model of Sir Francis Drake by Sir Joseph Boehm (1834-1890) made for reference use in his studio - it came from the moulds used to make the bronze sculptures of Drake at Tavistock and on Plymouth Hoe. This imposing work is displayed in Drake's former home, Buckland Abbey in Devon.
June 18, 2025 at 11:51 AM