During the 18th and early 19th centuries, smuggling in Cornwall was at its peak. Stories of this secretive, illicit trade have been told and re-told over generations. Cornish smugglers have been imagined as small bands of “rogues” landing small amounts of contraband tobacco or spirits into remote, moonlit coves. Other depictions show them as violent, dangerous gangs involved not only in smuggling but also in wrecking ships. Smuggling tales often include romantic or supernatural elements, distancing them further from the historical record.
This talk will examine the relationship between literary and historical narratives of Cornish smuggling, and how the “Maritime Gothic” of smuggling has shaped modern perceptions of place and identity in Cornwall.
Doors open at 7pm, with hot & cold drinks available from our Waterside Cafe.
Lectures start at 7.30pm.
Standard Talk Ticket £8.00
Student Talk Ticket £5.00
Members Talk Ticket £7.20
Online Talk Ticket £6.00
Dr. Jo Esra is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter, specialising in 16th- and 17th-century maritime literature and culture.
Smuggling and the Shaping of the Cornish Cultural Landscape with Dr. Jo Esra is part of National Maritime Museum Cornwall’s 2025 Autumn Lecture series. Other lectures in this series include:
National Maritime
Museum Cornwall Trust
Discovery Quay
Falmouth Cornwall
TR11 3QY
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