Research Notes


Map Group BOWEN 1772
Bowen 1772
New and Accurate Map of England, with Wales, scale about 47 miles to 1 inch, by Thomas Bowen, by Thomas Bowen, London, 1772. Published in the Complete English Traveller, written by Nathaniel Spencer, published by John Cooke, Shakespear's Head, Pater Noster Row, London, 1772.

The map studied is in the Library Collection, Hampshire CC Museums Service, item HMCMS:B2002.84.2.
The map size is: wxh, sheet = 24.5x37cm; wxh, map = 223x323mm. NB remember that these notes are made for Hampshire interest.
MAP FEATURES
HAMPSHIRE TOWNS
REFERENCES
ITEMS in the Collection
The map is one of two maps of the country included in the Travellers' Companion. The other map is an anonymous map of Great Britain. The title page of the book reads:-
THE Complete English Traveller; OR, A NEW SURVEY and DESCRIPTION of ENGLAND AND WALES. CONTAINING A full ACCOUNT of whatever is CURIOUS and ENTERTAINING IN THE Several COUNTIES of ENGLAND and WALES, The ISLES of MAN, JERSEY, GUERNSEY, And other ISLANDS adjoining to, and dependent on the CROWN of GREAT BRITAIN; ... TO WHICH IS ADDED, A Concise and Accurate DESCRIPTION of that Part of GREAT BRITAIN called SCOTLAND. ITS ANCIENT and PRESENT STATE, ANTIQUITIES and NATURAL CURIOSITIES: TOGETHER WITH The MANNERS and CUSTOMS of the INHABITANTS, &C., BY NATHANIEL SPENCER, Esq; By the KING's Royal LICENCE and AUTHORITY. ...
LONDON: Printed for J. COOKE, at Shakespear's-Head, in Pater-Noster-Row. MDCCLXXII.
Be aware that John Cooke was not averse to inventing authors to stand for the hack writers he employed to write such works.
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MAP FEATURES
monumental cartouche    
title    
map maker    
coat of arms    
Printed upper right is a monumental slab:-
A New and Accurate Map of ENGLAND By T. Bowen.
At the top of the slab is carved the cross of St George; on the ground are a lion and the arms of England, gules three lions passant gardant or, surmounted by a crown, a bust, globe, book, picture, lyre, caduceus, flag, cannon, etc; to the left trees; to the right the sails of a ship.
Printed at the top of the map:-
Engraved for the Complete English Traveller
scale line    
scale    
Printed upper right is a scale of:-
British Statute Miles
chequered at 10 mile intervals, labelled at 20 mile intervals. The 60 miles = 32.1 mm giving a scale 1 to 1 to 3008120. The map scale is about:
1 to 3000000
47 miles to 1 inch

orientation    
north point    
up is N    
The map's orientation is indicated by the latitude and longitude scales, but also by a north point aligned on the graticule, lower left; North marked by a fleur de lys, East by a cross. The map is printed with North at the top of the sheet.

lat and long scales    
lat and long grid    
Printed in the borders of the map are scales of latitude and longitude for a trapezoid projection; chequered at 10 minute intervals, labelled at degrees. The bottom scale is labelled:-
Longit. from London
The graticule is printed across the map at 1 degree intervals. The prime meridian is east of London, but not through Greenwich; it is about 3d W. The:-
longitude, Winchester = 1d 14m W
The map includes from 2.5d E to 6d W, from 48.5d to 56.5d N; England and Wales with parts of Scotland and the coast of France.

table of symbols    
Printed upper left is an:-
EXPLANATION
Cities are distinguish'd by Roman Capitals as ... LONDON
County Towns in Italic Capitals as ... DERBY
Borough Towns in Print as ... Windsor
Market Towns ... [circle]
Great or Direct Post Roads ... [double lines]
Cross Roads ... [single lines]
sea area    
sea plain    
The sea is plain; some sea areas are labelled, eg:-
ENGLISH CHANNEL
Spit Hd.
coast line    
coast shaded    
headlands    
The coast line shaded for emphasis.
Some headlands are noticed, eg:-
St Albans Head
Selsey Bill
While harbours can be recognised only a few are labelled. The Portsmouth, Lansgtone, Chichester harbour area is badly drawn, almost just a bay with small islands.

rivers    
Rivers are drawn by wiggly lines. At this scale the map only shows major rivers. In Hampshire it is possible to recognise: Stour, Avon, Test, Itchen, Meon, and Wey, amongst the roads. None is labelled. Large river estuaries might have a river name, eg:-
Thames R
Severn R
county    
County boundaries are dotted lines, obscured by other detail on the map. The county areas are labelled, eg:-
HAMP SH.
settlements    
Settlements are positioned by a circle, perhaps with tiny vestiges of buildings or a tower. London is drawn by a fuzz of dots. Places are differentiated by style of lettering. In Hampshire
city     circle, perhaps building and tower; labelled in upright block caps:-
WINCHESTER
town     county town: labelled in italic block caps, eg:-
SOUTHAMPTON
borough towns: circle, perhaps building and tower; labelled in upright lowercase text, eg:-
Stockbridge
Andover
market towns: circle; labelled in italic lowercase text, eg:-
Basingstoke
Alton
Places are easily crowded out by other stuff.
roads    
A network of roads is drawn by double lines for great or direct post roads and single lines for cross roads.
The following direct roads are shown in Hampshire:-
 
from London; across Surrey; through Basingstoke, Whitchurch, Andover, Hampshire; then Salisbury, Wiltshire; and on to Lands End.
 
branch from Andover, Hampshire; into Wiltshire; and on to Barnstaple, Devon.
 
from London; through Guildford, Surrey; then Petersfield, to Portsmouth, Hampshire.
 
branch from Basingstoke, through Stockbridge, Hampshire; across Wiltshire; to Dorchester, Dorset.
 
from London; across Surrey; then Alton, Winchester, to Southampton, Hampshire; and an unclear route to Poole, Dorset.
Cross roads on the map include other parts of 'Ogilby' routes in Hampshire.
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HAMPSHIRE TOWNS The following of the 'usual' 21 towns are shown:-
Alton
Andover
Basingstoke
-
Christ Church
Fareham
Fordingbridge
Gosport
Havant
Kingsclere
Lymington
-
Odiam
Petersfield
Portsmouth
-
Romsey
Southampton
Stockbridge
Whitchurch
Winchester
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REFERENCES Spencer, Nathaniel: 1772: Complete English Traveller: Cooke, John (London)
ITEMS  in HMCMS Map Collection   (scanned item in bold)
  HMCMS:B2002.84.2 -- map
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   All Old Hampshire Mapped Resources