Queen Victoria's Osborne, an escape from Parkhurst prison, now part of HMP Isle of Wight and even Bob Dylan’s 1969 festival performance feature in a brand new book.

The new release by journalist and author, Robin Laurance, is called The Busy Narrow Sea - A Social History of the English Channel.

It will be released by The History Press, on July 11.

Described as a "story of the people whose lives have become entwined over the centuries...", it tells the tale of fishing villages which became 'smart resorts', smugglers, and war.

Robin Laurance has worked for The Guardian, The Times, The Sunday Times and the New York Times. 

Although he lives in Oxford, he spends his spare time on boats.