This is the northernmost sheet of the famous “Quartermaster’s Map” first issued in 1644 but here in its fourth edition of 1688.

The “Quartermaster’s Map”, consisting of six sheets, covers England and Wales and is based on a large wall map published by Christopher Saxton in 1583. It was first issued by Thomas Jenner in 1644. Its name derives from an introduction in the title which states that ‘all Comanders for Quarteringe of Souldiers, & all sorts of Persons, that would be informed, Where the Armies be; never so Commodiously drawne before this.” Much of its success supposedly lay in its heavy use by Parlamentarian commanders during the English Civil War. Whether or not the military made use of it is up for debate but there is no denying that it was a very successful publication with a long and complicated printing history that stretched from 1644 to the 19th century through multiple states and issues. It is believed that there were as many as fifteen different issues of this map.

This is the northernmost sheet of the map, covering the border country between England and Scotland, including Haddington, Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth as well as Northumberland. The 1671 edition added roads to the map and these can be seen on this example, particularly in Northumberland between Berwick and Newcastle.

This example is unusual as at least some of the colour is contemporaneous to time of publishing. [GB2168]