The following is a description of Yarmouth Roads that appeared in The Nautical Magazine and Naval Chronicle for 1837.

This latter was always used by the north sea fleet, and is still preferred by the larger class of merchant-vessels, and some deep laden colliers, to a secondary channel existing at the southern extreme of the roads; and it is to this principal channel into Yarmouth roads, that I am anxious in this communication, to draw the attention of my fellow seamen frequenting the eastern coast, and which I shall endeavour to do by an introductory remark or two.

[4] Yarmouth Roads was one of a number of strategic East Coast anchorages[5] used by the Royal Navy for its fleets between the 13th and 19th centuries.

[6][7] Yarmouth was the headquarters of the English Navy's, Admiral of the North and his naval units from 1294 to 1412.

In 1801 it was the main assembly point for the British Fleet before its engagement at the Battle of Copenhagen.