‘COMITATUS Bercheriae vulgo Barkshyre [Berkshire] qui olim sedes A:TREBATUM’ by Saxton / Hole c.1607 (First Edition)

An attractive and detailed early 17th Century map of Berkshire which was based on the first survey of England & Wales by Christopher Saxton, engraved by William Hole and published in William Camden’s Britannia* (London:1607) This particular example comes from the much harder to find first edition of 1607 which has Latin text on the reverse. It is also the earliest printed map of the county which can be acquired at an ‘affordable’ price. *’Britannia’, first published in 1586, was one of the most popular and influential books of the period. The work of the Elizabethan antiquarian, William Camden (1551-1623), it was a detailed historical and topographical description of Great Britain. Its patriotic sentiments, in particular, both appealed to and generated the growing sense of nationalism that was coursing through late Tudor / early Stuart society. Between 1607** and 1637 county maps, based largely on Saxton’s surveys and engraved by William Kip and William Hole, were added. These maps have the distinction of being the first set to show each county individually as opposed to several being grouped together on one page. Camden’s Britannia continued to be published well into the 19th century; from 1695 to 1772, county maps by Robert Morden were used, and from 1789 to c.1815, those by the renowned John Cary. This is an original copperplate engraving with later hand colour. Printed area is approximately 32.3cms by 28.5cms. The map is in very good condition with decent margins. Click on image for better view. Click on ‘Delivery Policy’ for Postage costs. Guaranteed to be over 400 years old.