Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine. Caermarden Both Shyre and Towne described.

SPEED, John (1552 - 1629)

Published by London: Bassett & Chiswell, 1676

About this Item

Single sheet (15 x 20 inches) Full margins showing the plate mark (slight browning to edge, offsetting) This elegant map of Caermarden, taken from the Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine, is a stunning example of the level of detail and craftsmanship which went into creating this Atlas. Engraved in 1610 on copper plates by renowned Dutch mapmaker Jodocus Hondius, this is one of the finest maps of this county. 'Jodocus Hondius celavit' 'Cum privilegio' The county of Caermarden presents itself in a title cartouche baring the King's royal coat of arms. It stretches its lined borders with parts of Cardigan, Glamorganshire, Breknokshire, and Pembrokshire. The Shire's coat of arms and a compass rose decorate the lower portion of the map, held in a strapwork frame. A desirable element to this map is the inset of Caermarden, known today as Carmarthen. The town is known for being the oldest town in Wales, with the two settlements of Old and New Carmarthen uniting in 1546. "The chief citie of the county" (William Camden) The shield of the town and key guide to the significant roada and building highlight this inset. It is also noteworthy to say this town was mapped out by Speed himself, as indicated by his 'Scale of Pases'. The county maps found in the Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine were the first consistent attempt to show territorial divisions, but it was mainly Speed's town plans that were the major innovation and probably his greatest contribution to British cartography. Together, they formed the first printed collection of town plans of the British Isles and, for at least 50 of the 73 included in the Theatre, it was the first time these towns had been mapped. While being the first English atlas of the British Isles, Speed's Atlas was also one of the first attempts to accurately survey Ireland and to incorporate a comprehensive list of their town plans into the maps. The 1676 edition of Speed's atlas never came with original color. The examples of this map of Caermarden (Carmarthenshire) should always be uncolored and never colored. Born in Cheshire, John Speed developed his interest in maps in the 1580s, after moving to London to pursue his passions outside of tailoring. He there joined the Society of Antiquaries, where his enthusiasm for cartography won him the attention of William Camden, Robert Cotton, and Sir Fulke Greville. By working with these figures, Speed was able to do a large amount of research for his own work. In 1596, Greville bequeathed Speed with an unlimited allowance to research, and then later write, the Historie of Great Britaine. It was during this project which Speed had the encouragement to add a cartographic supplement to the work - what we today know as his most famous atlas. After being first published in 1611-1612, the 'Theatre of Great Britain' dominated the seventeenth-century English map market, going through many reprints and editions. Thanks to the Atlas' success, Speed earned the title of England's most well-known Stuart period cartographer and his work became the blueprint for folio atlases until the mid-18th century. Historically, Speed is also noted for placing England into the mainstream of map publishing, which had been dominated by the Dutch since the late sixteenth century. This map of Caermarden (Carmarthenshire) is an excellent part of the Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine, and would be an outstanding addition to all map collections. For more information on this map, or a warm welcome to see other maps and books of our collection at 72nd Street NYC, please contact Natalie Zadrozna. Seller Inventory # 72NZ23

Bibliographic Details

Title: Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine. ...

Publisher: London: Bassett & Chiswell

Publication Date: 1676