John Norden
Westminster, 1723
6 ½ x 10 in
17 x 26 cm
17 x 26 cm
LDN6792
An important early map of central London, first published in John Norden's Speculum Britanniæ: an historical and chorographical description of Middlesex and Hartfordshire in 1593, but here reissued in a...
An important early map of central London, first published in John Norden's Speculum Britanniæ: an historical and chorographical description of Middlesex and Hartfordshire in 1593, but here reissued in a 1723 edition of the same work by Daniel Browne and James Woodman.
The map shows Westminster, Charing Cross, Covent Garden, the Strand, and Temple in the time of Queen Elizabeth I. Most buildings are illustrated as if seen from a bird's-eye view. Covent Garden is shown in its original form as a convent garden as it was before the 18th century development of the modern piazza. All of the large, since-destroyed mansions along the Thames are illustrated and named, including York House and Durham House. Somerset House, the lone survivor, is almost unrecognizable with a long garden leading to the riverside. Deer are illustrated in St. James's Park, alluding to the park's history as a royal hunting preserve.
Norden's 'Speculum Britanniae' was intended as a complete history and description of Britain during the Elizabethan period, and was to be published in multiple volumes. Ultimately, only two volumes (Middlesex and Hertfordshire) and a handful of lone county maps, including Surrey, Hampshire, and Sussex, were published during Norden's lifetime. Several further volumes (Cornwall, Northamptonshire, and Essex) were published posthumously in the 18th and 19th centuries.
This map is one of the only available view of Elizabethan London, making it an important historical record and a highly collectible item for London history enthusiasts.
The map shows Westminster, Charing Cross, Covent Garden, the Strand, and Temple in the time of Queen Elizabeth I. Most buildings are illustrated as if seen from a bird's-eye view. Covent Garden is shown in its original form as a convent garden as it was before the 18th century development of the modern piazza. All of the large, since-destroyed mansions along the Thames are illustrated and named, including York House and Durham House. Somerset House, the lone survivor, is almost unrecognizable with a long garden leading to the riverside. Deer are illustrated in St. James's Park, alluding to the park's history as a royal hunting preserve.
Norden's 'Speculum Britanniae' was intended as a complete history and description of Britain during the Elizabethan period, and was to be published in multiple volumes. Ultimately, only two volumes (Middlesex and Hertfordshire) and a handful of lone county maps, including Surrey, Hampshire, and Sussex, were published during Norden's lifetime. Several further volumes (Cornwall, Northamptonshire, and Essex) were published posthumously in the 18th and 19th centuries.
This map is one of the only available view of Elizabethan London, making it an important historical record and a highly collectible item for London history enthusiasts.
