Old Hampshire Mapped
Morden's Hampshire 1695
Notes byMartin and Jean Norgate: 1998
Contents
by Robt Morden
This study concentrates upon what can be seen from the map; studies of the background of county mapping in England, and map makers have been published elsewhere. An earlier version of these notes have been published as a booklet:-
Norgate, Martin; Norgate, Jean: 1997:
Notes from Morden's Map of Hampshire:
Hampshire County Council:: ISBN 1 85975 134 2
THE Maps mentioned in the former Proposals (though they were Design'd according to the newest Surveys very Correct, and contained all the Towns that were mentioned in Cambden's yet) were not thought Large and Comprehensive enough, by some Judicious and Ingenious Gentlemen that assist in the Work, Who think it proper and Necessary to have the Maps of every County full as Large as this Sheet will admit, and to Comprehend every Town, Village, &c. throughout.It is believed that Morden's smaller maps made for the 'former proposals' were only about 16.5x20.5cm. The Hampshire sheet of this smaller series was engraved by Sutton Nicholls, and has a three 10 mile scale lines. This was published by Morden in The New Description and State of England, 1701. Hampshire CC Museums Service has a copy of this map in its collections, item: FA1998.23.1 - the copy is the version as amended by Herman Moll, 1708.
The Undertakers therefore to Comply with these and many other Gentlemens Desires, have Resolved to have the Maps so done; with all the Roads, and the Degrees of Longitude and Latitude, and other considerable Additions and Corrections never done before. Though the Expence will be at least 500l. Extraordinary.
Besides which, many Additions will be made to the Book more than were mentioned; particularly a curious Collection of all the Publick Coins of England, supplying what are wanting in Mr. Cambden's of the Britains and Romans, and adding those of the Saxons, Danes, &c. which will be done by an Eminent Hand. And all the Coins fairly Engraved on Copper.
And for these Reasons we are obliged to raise the Price to Thirty Two Shillings, which cannot be esteemed Dear, considering the great Charge extraordinary, in Graving the Map so Large, and the excessive Price of Paper at this time, the Maps alone being worth the Money.
The larger maps used for the 1695 edition were, like the others, based on earlier mapping, with corrections invited from local knowledge. The Hampshire sheet, Hampshire by Robt. Morden., is based on John Norden's map of a century earlier. It does not mention engraver or booksellers at its foot; there is little decoration, just the shell style title cartouche with title and map maker's name.
Robert Morden was a typical map publisher, rather than a surveyor or cartographer, active in Cornhill, London, 1688 to 1703. He made extensive use of other people's work to produce a series of county maps from the 1690s onwards. The map which is the source of these notes is that prepared for an edition of Camden's 'Britannia' edited by Edmund Gibson, published 1695. Gibson's preface:-
The Maps are all new engrav'd, either according to Surveys never before publish'd, or according to such as have been made and printed since Saxton and Speed. Where actual Surveys could be had, they were purchas'd at any rate; and for the rest, one of the best Copies extant was sent to some of the most knowing Gentlemen in each County, with a request to supply the defects, rectifie the positions, and correct the false spellings. ... this whole business was commited to Mr Robert Morden ... to revise them, to see the slips of the Engraver mended, and the corrections, return'd out of the several Counties, duly inserted. Upon the whole, we need not scruple to affirm, that they are by much the fairest and most correct of any that have yet appear'd. And as for an error here and there; whoever considers, how difficult it is to hit the exact Bearings, and how the difference of miles in the several parts of the Kingdom perplex the whole; may possibly have occasion to wonder, that there should be so few. Especially, if he add to these inconveniencs, the various Spelling of Places, wherein it will be impossible to please all, till men are agreed which is the right.Morden took information from Ogilby's road book of 1675 and added some routes to re-worked maps of Norden and Speed. He also used coastal charts prepared by Greenvile Collins in the 1680s where needed. His claim to have consulted knowing gentlemen may explain the discrepancies between his routes and Ogilby's.
Gibson had expressed concern about place names and other mapping problems in his preface. The maps got some criticism fairly promptly. Rev Francis Brokesby, 16 May 1711:-
... the Unaccurateness of the Maps, even when they are copied from such as were made with great Exactness, as in that of Stafford-shire ...He observed:-
Errors in other Maps, when I consulted them about Places I travell'd in ...Robert Morden's playing card maps, 1676, included roads and tables of distances from London; Morden:-
The latitude of the Cheife Citty or Town, and its Distance from London, First the Reputed and then the Measured Miles, by Esqr: Ogilby with his leave we have Incerted, there is also the Road from London to each Citty or Towne, the great Roads are drawn with a double line, the other Roads a single line ...Morden got this data from Ogilby's maps, 1675.
Eden, P (ed):: Dictionary of Land Surveyors and Local Cartographers of Great Britain and Ireland, 1550-1850
Hodgkiss, A G: 1981 (4th edn): Discovering Antique maps: Shire Publications (Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire):: ISBN 0 85263 581 8; an inexpensive and approachable introduction to old maps
Penfold, Alastair J: 1994: Introduction to the Printed Maps of Hampshire: Hampshire CC Museums Service
Skelton, R A: 1970: County Atlases of the British Isles 1579-1850: Carta Press (London)
