Dan Snow's History Hit

The Royal Navy's Darkest Night & The Origins of Longitude

Listen on

Episode notes

A mix of treacherous seas, navigation errors, and historical intrigue led to one of the Royal Navy's darkest nights. Dan travels to the Scilly Isles to tell the tragic tale of Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell and the 1707 naval disaster off the Isles of Scilly that caused a staggering loss of over 2000 men. Dan ventures out to the place where the ship went down to see this dangerous stretch of sea for himself. He discovers how this catastrophe spurred advancements in navigation and the quest to solve the problem of longitude.

Written by Dan Snow, produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code DANSNOW - sign up at https://historyhit.com/subscription/.