Old maps of South Hams

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Maps of South Hams

Maps of South Hams

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Dartmoor, Devon

This drawing shows the estuary of the River Dart flowing into the English Channel. Numerous slate and limestone quarries surround the busy port at Dartmouth Harbour. Dartmouth Port also served the tin and copper mines on Dartmoor. Tan yards are marked at Totnes and Ashburton. Many cider orchards are noted. An Old Cross is drawn at Saint Petrocks (St Petrox) near the ruins of a castle across the estuary at Kiln Cove. Another castle appears at Totnes. The ancient earthworks at Woodbury Camp and many other early settlements are recorded in this area. While the authorship of this drawing is unknown, the elaborate hill shading and attention to communications routes conform to the military and cartographic standards employed by the West Country survey. The map is made up of three pieces. Its margins are trimmed and the drawing is in good condition.
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Ivybridge (Hills) - OS One-Inch Revised New Series

1 : 63360 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Ivybridge (Outline) - OS One-Inch Revised New Series

1 : 63360 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Kingsbridge, Devon

This drawing covers the coastal region around Salcombe, from Bantham and Thurlestone on to Stoke Fleming., It is attributed to Royal Military Surveyor and Draughtsman, Richard Searle, who took part in the West Country Survey from 1803 to 1807., He was one of the most competent surveyors to work on the survey, and taught gentlemen cadets the basics of surveying., Despite this,,he was only rated second-class in the Corps., On this map, the heavy-ink colour washes indicating the steepness of the hills make some of the,inland symbols,difficult to interpret.,,Square gridlines in pencil are prominent at the edges of the map, made to facilitate copying., The manuscript paper carries a watermark from the,James Whatman Turkey Mill., Searle, Richard
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Ashburton(002OSD000000001U00018000)

Draughtsmen used the colour red to indicate stone, so the unbroken red line around Huntingdon Warren in the centre of the,map means that it was enclosed by a stone wall., Field boundaries are also shown, with those in red again representing stone walls., Notably, the draughtsman has drawn pecked red lines on this map, most obviously at Yealm River in the central left area., These may have represented stone circles., Place names are truncated where the margins of the manuscript have been trimmed. Dawson, Robert
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Modbury, Devon

This drawing plots the estuaries of the Rivers Erme and Avon on the south Devon coast., The survey date is noted at the bottom right of the manuscript, along with the scale., The draughtsman is unknown, but the elaborate hill-shading and attention to communications routes conform to the military and cartographic standards employed in the overall survey., Square gridlines in pencil are visible at the boundaries of the map, made to facilitate copying.
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A coloured chart of Plymouth Harbour, and of the country up to Tavistock; drawn possibly by Robert Spry

This is a map of Plymouth and environs and is a 16th century copy of an original map dating from 1591 by Robert Spry. Spry is recorded as a painter in municipal records between 1569-70 and 1591-2. The map is drawn in a somewhat archaic pictorial style with topographical details drawn in perspective. Great detail has been observed in the depiction of churches and country houses and three beacons, the means of alerting the surrounding area, are recorded. The anchorages of the Sound are marked by drawings of ships. The map shows the conduit or leat that was constructed by Sir Francis Drake in 1590-1 in order to provide a water-supply for the town from Dartmoor. In connection with his leat, Drake had been granted a lease of the six town mills in 1583. The leat was designed for the watering of ships and to power the mills and played a central role in Drake’s hopeful project to make Plymouth a powerful naval station. Although popular local tradition suggested that Drake had employed magic in order to effect the construction of the leat which passed through "mighti rockes which was thought unpossible to carrie water through", it was in fact the work of the Plymouth engineers Robert Lampen and his brother. Figures along the course of the leat, from the River Meavy to Plymouth record miles. A section that is likely to have contained an explanatory table has been removed, resulting in the maps irregular shape. Spry, Robert
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Kingsbridge (Hills) - OS One-Inch Revised New Series

1 : 63360 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Kingsbridge (Outline) - OS One-Inch Revised New Series

1 : 63360 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Torbay, Devon

Relief is shown on this drawing by dense brushwork interlining ('hachures'), with the summits of inclines left bare. It is partly the concern with accurate representation of relief that sets these drawings apart from the earlier county maps. Individual trees are shown with their shadows falling to the left. Rocky outcrops in Tor Bay are shown and the beach is tinted yellow. Quarter-inch squares, used to facilitate copying or reduction of the map, can be seen in pencil around the coastline. The drawing has been titled in ink and the scale is noted in the bottom left. It is not orientated to the north. Stanley, William
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To the Right Honorable the Master, Wardens & Elder Brethren of the Trinity House, this Chart of Plymouth Sound is ... dedicated

1 : 26000 Heather, W. (William) Heather, W. (William)
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A coloured scheme for fortifying the island of St Nicholas, or Drake's Island, in Plymouth Sound

Plan of Plymouth harbour with particular attention to St Nicholas Island thought to have been drawn by a French or Dutch artist. It is said that when he was a child, Sir Francis Drake was sent here by his parents for protection at a time of civil disturbance. In the 18th century the island was renamed Drake’s Island in his memory but until the mid 19th century it was still referred to as St Nicholas Island. The island was first fortified in the 17th century and was important because it was situated in the centre of Plymouth Sound and protected the approaches to the harbours and the estuaries of the rivers Tamar and Plym.
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Devonshire CXVIII - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXXIV - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXXX - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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A chart of Plymouth Sound, with "il novo recinto della fortificatione de la ville de Pleymouth;"

This is a plan of the area around Plymouth Sound. It is orientated to the south with Penlee point to the south west and Bovisand Bay south east. It dates from 1601-1602 and may show the proposals of the Italian engineer Frederico Genibelli. Genibelli had been sent by the Privy Council in response to requests by the governor of the fort, Sir John Gilbert, that defects in the fortifications be repaired. Plymouth Sound is situated in such a way as to make it an ideal invasion target as although geographically far from heart of national government Plymouth was accessible to the outside world, especially France and Spain and provided access to centre of the country. This plan illustrates the position occupied by the fort in relation both to the town and to its surrounding countryside, although the latter is inaccurately portrayed out of scale. The town of Plymouth is surrounded by a perimeter wall. Beacons are shown at Staddon, Maker and Penlee, highlighting the measures in place to raise the alarm in case of invasion. When surveying the deficiencies in the defences of the fort and island, Genibelli outlined a new scheme for fortifying the town with nine ravelins at a cost of £3000. These are outworks which consist of two faces which form a salient angle. The proposed scheme is clearly shown here but was not carried out by the government. Genibelli, Frederico
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Devonshire CXI.NE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXI.NE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXI.SE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXI.SE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXVII.NE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXVII.NE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXVII.SE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXVII.SE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXVII.SE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXVII.SE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXVII.SE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXII.NW - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXII.NW - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXXIII.NE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXXIII.NE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXXIII.NE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXXIII.NE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXXIII.NE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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Devonshire CXXIII.NE - OS Six-Inch Map

1 : 10560 Topographic maps Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey
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