Category Archives: John Evelyn

Plague, Periwigs and Peccadilloes: the Diary of Samuel Pepys

Posted on December 9, 2019 by tthurai

Although diaries can be traced back to antiquity, the 17th century witnessed the real flowering of the diarist’s art. Following the Civil War and the Restoration of King Charles II, a new philosophical movement emerged: the Age of Enlightenment also … Continue reading →

Posted in 17th century, Diarists, History, John Evelyn, Lady Castlemaine, Plague, Raid on the Medway, Samuel Pepys, The Great Fire of London | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bulls, Bears, Tippling and Lewder Places: The Thames Frost Fair of 1684

Posted on December 8, 2017 by tthurai

Over a period of 250 years, the River Thames froze so hard that its icy expanse provided the venue for a special festival: the Frost Fair. The reason for the big freeze was a combination of exceptionally hard winters and … Continue reading →

Posted in 17th century, Diarists, Frost Fair, History, John Evelyn, London, London Bridge, Pepys, River Thames, Royal Society, Sayes Court, Southwark | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Raid on the Medway: an eyewitness account

Posted on June 9, 2017 by tthurai

While most of us are familiar with stories of the Plague (1665) and the Great Fire of London (1666), few are acquainted with the third catastrophe that hit England in 1667. On 9 June, the Dutch fleet led by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Charles II, History, John Evelyn, Kent, Medway, Raid on the Medway, Thames, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment