'Cambridgeshire described with the division of the hundreds'

Speed, John (1552-1629)

Verlag: London: John Sudbury & George Humble, 1676

Beschreibung

London: John Sudbury & George Humble. Speed, John (1552-1629) Single sheet (15 x 20 inches, full margins showing the plate mark, two repaired tears on bottom margin an inch either side of the crease line, condition commensurate with age). An appealing uncolored engraved map of Cambridge, stretching the border with Huntingdonshire in the west to Suffolk in the east. There is an expanded plan of the historic university town of Cambridge in the North West. The map was printed as part of Speeds revered atlas, 'Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine'. The map was part of the earliest English attempt at producing an atlas on a grand scale as part of 'The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain', the work for which Speed is best known. This celebrated Atlas contained the first set of county maps consistently attempting to show the boundaries of territorial divisions and the first truly comprehensive set of English town plans-a notable contribution to British topography. After 15 years assembling the Atlas it was published to immediate success: three new editions and issues appeared during Speed's lifetime and the work remained popular into the eighteenth century. Indeed the maps of this Atlas remain one of the most popular with map collectors around the world. John Speed was born in the Cheshire village of Farndon and from his youth pursued his father's profession of tailoring. He later moved to London to continue this trade, though Speed's real passions lay elsewhere, namely in the fields of antiquity and cartography. He joined the Society of Antiquaries where his enthusiasm soon attracted the attention of notables such as William Camden and Sir Fulke Greville. In 1596 Greville provided Speed with a full time allowance to write a 'Historie of Great Britaine'. It was during this project that Speed decided to add a cartographic supplement to the work and it was from this that his famous atlas, 'The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine', was born. The individual maps are the best known and among the most sought-after of all county maps. The map of Cambridge was particularly desirable as shown by the fact it was one of the few county maps selected to be printed as individual sheets as well as part of Atlas. The maps themselves were derived from the best and most up- to-date sources available. However, Speed also made innovations of his own - introducing town plans such as the one of Cambridge seen on this map. This map is also decorated with two vignettes of scholars of the university as well as the coats of arms of the colleges of Cambridge University and local nobles. Also included is a decorative strap-work title cartouche astride the royal coat of arms surrounded by a lion and unicorn. The overall effect is to produce very decorative, attractive and informative map. Description prepared for Arader Galleries by Jack Rogers (Eton College, Oxford University Geography Undergraduate). Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 72JR4

Bibliografische Details

Titel: 'Cambridgeshire described with the division ...

Verlag: London: John Sudbury & George Humble

Erscheinungsdatum: 1676