Isle of Thanet [Thanatis or Tenet] Map Showing the Ancient Course of the River Wantsume Past Stourmouth

[Isle of Thanet]

Published by circa ., 1550

About this Item

Copied map from circa 1550 printed in sepia on new 200 gsm cream laid paper measuring 19'' x 14'', the map measures 16'' x 11'' and is suitable for framing. Lewis's history of the Isle of Thanet 'Tenet', published in 1723, and a description of the Ifle of Thanet, printed in London, 1763, give a very different course to the river Rutupia [Richborough] than what now appears. The river Stour begins at Stourmouth, and the water between that junction and Sandwich Haven is called the Wantfume river, and runs by Richborough to Sandwich and the Haven. The plate in Lewis puts the Roman castrum 'castle' on the edge of the water. Wherever the Romans made a lodgement on the coast they built a fortification of some kind in immediate connection with their port. Rutupia then, the place of their fort, would be their original port; and it appears that Sandwich, which is some distance from it, had no existence at that period, and did not rise till afterwards. In fact, this map shows that the site of the present town was then covered by the sea. Subsequently the river Wantsume had its course from the Haven by Stonar and Sandwich westward to Stourmouth, and thence northward to the northern coast of the island near Reculver, which was then called the 'North Mouth,' or North Haven. Member of the P.B.F.A. KENT [Stourmouth].

Seller Inventory # 119808

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Isle of Thanet [Thanatis or Tenet] Map Showing the Ancient Course of the River Wantsume Past Stourmouth
• Publisher: circa .
• Publication Date: 1550