Sir John Narbrough's Journal

The Naval Journal of Sir John Narbrough - explorer, navigator and close friend of Sir Samuel Pepys – is a landmark in the history of English mapmaking. Thanks to the generosity of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Dr Bernard H. Breslauer, the Gosling Foundation and a number of individual donors, we were able to prevent this remarkable journal from being sold overseas.

Sir John Narbrough's Journal records his two-year voyage to South America, which began in 1669. It contains maps and information on the ethnographical, zoological and political observations made. 

One of the most significant outcomes of the expedition was that Narbrough proved trade with South America could be profitable without Spanish consent, and this set the course of Britain's foreign policy for the next half century.

This treasure is now available for our Readers to consult and enjoy in the Reading Rooms, offering new research opportunities and proving that Sir John’s legacy is still as important today as it was 350 years ago.