Leeds: Step-by-step account of Battle of Solebay is unveiled

Senior librarian Rhian Isaac with the document

An illustrated account of a 17th Century British sea battle has piqued the interest of staff at Leeds Central Library.

The 50ft (15m) document is based on sketches speedily committed to parchment during the battles of Solebay and Texel.

Staff have now begun the task of unfurling each stage of the document.

Senior librarian Rhian Isaac said: "There's an astonishing amount of detail."

The document is said to capture every cannon shot and flaming sail of the battles

The document dates from around 1908 and is among a collection of more than 3,000 books, pamphlets and periodicals donated by Leeds aristocrat, diplomat and naval history buff Sir Alvary Gascoigne.

Ms Isaac, who is researching the library's Gascoigne collection, said of the document: "With each individual ship and naval manoeuvre captured so minutely, you can actually see the battles played out step-by-step, much like an Instagram or social media story would do today.

"The sheer scope and scale of the illustrations do make it a real challenge to piece it all together, but it's fascinating to be able to connect so directly with the original artist's enthusiasm for naval history and their desire to capture every step of what were clearly important events."

The Battles of Solebay and Texel

The Battle of Solebay was fought off the Suffolk coast in 1672

The Battle of Solebay (1672) was the first naval battle of the Third Anglo-Dutch War and saw an estimated 190 warships involved in a fierce conflict in what is now Southwold Bay in Suffolk.

A joint Anglo-French fleet anchored in the bay was surprised by Dutch ships but the battle ended in a hard-fought draw, with both sides claiming victory.

Meanwhile, the Battle of Texel (1694) marked the final major naval clash of the conflict off the coast of The Netherlands.

A gruelling encounter, the battle saw both sides suffer badly in hours of fighting which cost the lives of about 3,000 sailors.

Source: Leeds Central Library

Ms Isaac said it was a "privilege" to have the document in the library's collection.

She said: "That passion for creating a visual record of significant moments, even before the age of cameras and mobile phones, is something which is clearly a common thread for people throughout history."

Sir Alvary's collection, also featuring Army and Navy lists from the early 19th century, was donated to Leeds Libraries in 1968.