RICHARD NICHOLSON of CHESTER
A World of Antique Maps and Prints
A Guide to Collectings Antique Maps of the British Isles
ROBERT MORDEN
A popular series of county maps illustrating Camden's Britannia for many editions
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Robert Morden
1695 - Two series of county maps of England and one of Wales.
Also Playing Card maps.
Also Playing Card maps.
Enter the name for this tabbed section: The Man and the Editions
Robert Morden was an English publisher, bookseller, mapseller, cartographer, globe and instrument maker. He worked in London at the Atlas in New Cheapside and at the Atlas in Cornhill from 1675 to 1703. His output in cartographical works was quite large and varied. It included geographical playing cards, large scale maps in a number of sheets, the most important being a 12 sheet plan of London by William Morgan.
He is probably best known for his series of county maps in Camden's Britannia. This work had last been published in 1637 and illustrated with county maps by William Hole and William Kip. The new edition was published in 1695 by Edmund Gibson, Bishop of Lincoln, printed by F. Collins for Abel Swalle at the West end of St. Paul's Church yard and for Awnsham and John Churchill at the Black Swan in Paternoster Row.
Gibson in the preface describes how the maps were prepared.
The Maps are all new engraved, either according to Surveys never before published, or according to such as have been made and printed since Saxton and Speed. Where actual Surveys could be had, the were purchased at any rate; and for the rest, one of the best Copies exant was sent to some of the most knowing Gentlemen in each County; with a request to supply the defects, rectified the positions, and correct the false spellings. An that nothing might be wanting to render them as complete and accurate as might be, this whole business was committed to MR. ROBERT MORDEN, a person of known abilities in these matters, who took care to revise them, to see the slips of the Engraver mended, and the corrections, returned out of the several Counties duly inserted. Upon the whole, we need not scruple to affirm, that they are much the fairest and most correct of any that have yet appeared.
There were four editions of Camden's Britannia illustrated with the county maps by Robert Morden.
1695. Paper thinner than the later editions. Margins small and cropping to the images is seen often.
1722. Thicker paper than the 1695 edition and wider blank margins. Most specimens I have seen have a watermark of a horse within a circle.
1753.
1772. Impressions a bit lighter. Most specimens I have seen have had wide blank margins.
Morden later produced in 1701 a series of smaller county maps often known as Miniature Mordens. These appeared in The New Description and State of England published jointly with Thomas Cockeril and Ralph Smith. There were further editions of these maps until 1738.
He is probably best known for his series of county maps in Camden's Britannia. This work had last been published in 1637 and illustrated with county maps by William Hole and William Kip. The new edition was published in 1695 by Edmund Gibson, Bishop of Lincoln, printed by F. Collins for Abel Swalle at the West end of St. Paul's Church yard and for Awnsham and John Churchill at the Black Swan in Paternoster Row.
Gibson in the preface describes how the maps were prepared.
The Maps are all new engraved, either according to Surveys never before published, or according to such as have been made and printed since Saxton and Speed. Where actual Surveys could be had, the were purchased at any rate; and for the rest, one of the best Copies exant was sent to some of the most knowing Gentlemen in each County; with a request to supply the defects, rectified the positions, and correct the false spellings. An that nothing might be wanting to render them as complete and accurate as might be, this whole business was committed to MR. ROBERT MORDEN, a person of known abilities in these matters, who took care to revise them, to see the slips of the Engraver mended, and the corrections, returned out of the several Counties duly inserted. Upon the whole, we need not scruple to affirm, that they are much the fairest and most correct of any that have yet appeared.
There were four editions of Camden's Britannia illustrated with the county maps by Robert Morden.
1695. Paper thinner than the later editions. Margins small and cropping to the images is seen often.
1722. Thicker paper than the 1695 edition and wider blank margins. Most specimens I have seen have a watermark of a horse within a circle.
1753.
1772. Impressions a bit lighter. Most specimens I have seen have had wide blank margins.
Morden later produced in 1701 a series of smaller county maps often known as Miniature Mordens. These appeared in The New Description and State of England published jointly with Thomas Cockeril and Ralph Smith. There were further editions of these maps until 1738.
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Examples of Morden Maps
-
Devonshire, Robert Morden
-
Shropshire, Robert Morden
-
Yorkshire North Riding, Robert Morden
Enter the name for this tabbed section: List of Maps - Britannia
Camden's Britannia
1 England
2 Roman Britain
3 Saxon Britain
4 Cornwall
5 Devonshire
6 Dorsetshire
7 Somersetshire
8 Wiltshire
9 Hampshire
10 Berkshire
11 Surrey
12 Sussex
13 Kent
14 Gloucestershire
15 Oxfordshire
16 Buckinghamshire
17 Bedfordshire
18 Hertfordshire
19 Middlesex
20 Essex
21 Suffolk
22 Norfolk
23Cambridgeshire
24 Huntingdonshire
25 Northamptonshire
26 Leicestershire
27 Rutlandshire
28 Lincolnshire
29 Nottinghamshire
30 Derbyshire
31 Warwickshire
32 Worcestershire
33 Staffordshire
34 Shropshire
35 Cheshire
36 Herefordshire
37 South Wales
38 Monmouthshire
39 North Wales (Decorative cartouche on the 1695 edition map, replaced by a simple box on later editions of the atlas.)
40 West Riding of Yorkshire
41 East Riding of Yorkshire
42 North Riding of Yorkshire
43 Durham
44 Lancashire
45 Westmorland
46 Cumberland
47 Northumberland
48 Scotland (Map of the whole country in the 1695 edition. Replaced by separate maps of North and South Scotland in later editions.)
49 Ireland
50 The Smaller Islands in the British Ocean.
2 Roman Britain
3 Saxon Britain
4 Cornwall
5 Devonshire
6 Dorsetshire
7 Somersetshire
8 Wiltshire
9 Hampshire
10 Berkshire
11 Surrey
12 Sussex
13 Kent
14 Gloucestershire
15 Oxfordshire
16 Buckinghamshire
17 Bedfordshire
18 Hertfordshire
19 Middlesex
20 Essex
21 Suffolk
22 Norfolk
23Cambridgeshire
24 Huntingdonshire
25 Northamptonshire
26 Leicestershire
27 Rutlandshire
28 Lincolnshire
29 Nottinghamshire
30 Derbyshire
31 Warwickshire
32 Worcestershire
33 Staffordshire
34 Shropshire
35 Cheshire
36 Herefordshire
37 South Wales
38 Monmouthshire
39 North Wales (Decorative cartouche on the 1695 edition map, replaced by a simple box on later editions of the atlas.)
40 West Riding of Yorkshire
41 East Riding of Yorkshire
42 North Riding of Yorkshire
43 Durham
44 Lancashire
45 Westmorland
46 Cumberland
47 Northumberland
48 Scotland (Map of the whole country in the 1695 edition. Replaced by separate maps of North and South Scotland in later editions.)
49 Ireland
50 The Smaller Islands in the British Ocean.
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Titlepages
AN ANTIQUE MAP OR PRINT MAKES A VERY SPECIAL RETIREMENT GIFT
RICHARD NICHOLSON of CHESTER
Stoneydale
Pepper Street
Christleton
Chester
CH3 7AG
Telephone
01244 336004
International
44 1244 336004
I have been buying and selling antique maps since the early 1960's during which time I had a gallery in Watergate Street, Chester for 30 years. I am now able to offer through my websites a personal service to map and print collectors.