notes Collins 1693

	Research Notes Map Group COLLINS 1693

Collins 1693


	Chart, of The Solent, including the coast of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, scale about 1.5 miles to 1 inch, by Captain Greenvile Collins, engraved by Harris, published 1693 to 1753. The chart studied is in the Map Collection of Hampshire CC Museums Service, item HMCMS:FA2001.97.
	wxh, sheet: 60x51cm wxh, map: 570x455mm
	MAP FEATURES
	GREENVILE COLLINS
	REFERENCES
	ITEMS in the Collection

MAP FEATURES
title dedication map maker	The chart has no title.
dedication coat of arms map maker engraver	Printed upper left in a drape cartouche is a dedication:- To the Rt. Honble. / EDWARD RUSSELL ADMIRALL / OF THEIR MATIES. FLEET / One of their Maties. most Honble. Privy / Council and Treasurer of ye Navy &c / This is most humbly dedicated and / presented by Capt. Greenvile Collins. The coat of arms bears argent a lion rampant gules, on a chief sable three escallops; guessing the colours from an earlier Russell. There is a mark of cadency, a small 5 point star, for a third son? Admiral Edward Russell, was born 1653, died 1727. He was later first lord of the Admiralty, and was created Baron Shingey, Viscount Barfleur and Earl of Orford. Etc. Printed lower left is:- J: Harris Sculp.
orientation compass rose rhumb lines up is N	Near the bottom right of centre is half a compass rose with star points for the cardinal, half cardinal, and false points, and lines for the by points. From these there are rhumb lines across land and sea. Half way up the chart, left and right, are centres for two more sets of rhumb lines; bold for the cardinal and half cardinal directions, light for the false, and dotted for the by point
scale scale line	Printed below the dedication on the left is:- A Scale of Miles The line is chequered and labelled in miles, 1..6; 6 sea miles = 106.9mm. Assuming these are sea miles, 6082.95ft at this latitude, the map scale is 1 to 104065; the map scale is about:- 1 to 100000 1 1/2 sea miles to 1 inch
index grid	This map has no index grid. Calculations have been made by us to overlay the National Grid system on the map
sea plain depth soundings sandbanks sea marks buoys leading lines anchorages	The sea is plain. Within the Solent and around the island there are depth soundings, just printed figures, presumably in fathoms. Sandbanks are shown by stippled areas, some labelled with their ground, eg:- Oaze or with their name, eg:- Bramble Midle Shingles The last is further explained in a note at the bottom left:- Shingles are a Pibblestone A sandbank might be labelled:- Dry presumably because they show at low tide. It is very clear on the chart what a narrow safe entrance there is at the east end of the Solent. The A very few buoys are drawn by a conical shape, labelled:- Buoy For example at the SW edge of the Mackett south of Hayling. An owner of the chart has made his own additions. For instance: as well as extending the area of the Mackett sandbank a conical buoy is drawn with a remark:- Black Buoy, Lately Placed The older buoy, 'Horse Buoy', on the Mackett is noted as being black, and another black buoy is added on its west edge. There two or three more such manuscript remarks on the map. There are some posts drawn. For example marking the west end of the Bramble sandbank. And marking the entrance to the river at:- Helhead Rocks are indicated by crosses in the sea, as off the Alum Bay shore, or on a sandbank, as at Bembridge. A few leading lines are given, with little text explanation. For example a line is drawn from Stoke, ie Alverstoke, church to between the Mackett off Hayling and the Nomans Land off Ryde. Another is drawn from the chalk pit north of Portchester. These do not always show a safe route. Anchorages are shown by an anchor mark. The anchorage in the Solent between Lymington and Beaulieu and the coast of the island is indicated. Anchorages are indicated up Southampton Water, and off Cowes. Some sea areas are named, eg:- Spitt Head Stoke Bay
coast line coast shaded coast appearance foreshore harbours	The line of the coast is mostly just a bold line, shaded on the landward side. In places low cliffs are indicated by vertical shading to seaward, for example west of Hurst Spit. The foreshore is drawn and labelled much the same way as sandbanks. The Needles are drawn as a group of rocks, labelled:- Needles also explained at the bottom:- Needles are steep Chalk stones high and Steep:too. Although various river entrances, estuaries, and harbours are charted in reasonable detail only a few are clearly labelled, eg:- Langston Haven Chichester Haven Islands are drawn in the harbour areas, and the larger islands labelled:- PORTSEA ISLAND HALING Island some are just shapes:- which is Pewit Island in Portsmouth Harbour.
rivers ferries	Rivers are extended into the land very little, and mostly not named, except:- Hamble Creek Titchfield Lake Gamer pond The long landing stage for Hyth Ferry is drawn out from the hamlet. And the landing stage for:- Itching Ferry is shown.
castles coastal defence fortifications docks	Coastal defences are drawn as a dumpy castle with a flag, and labelled at:- Hurst Castle Calshot Castle Castle [at Netley] Southsea Castle and on the island. Southsea is shown with its artillery style angular walls, which were a novelty when built. The fortifications around Portsmouth and Gosport are drawn as polygonal style artillery fortifications, as are the walls around:- Kings Docks The naval dockyard in which two large ?dry docks are drawn as well as workshops. More fortifications are drawn guarding the Ports Bridge over Ports Creek.
relief hillocks	Only the line of Portsdown is shown on the mainland drawn in persepctive with slope lines and chalk pits. On the Isle of Wight the great ridge from east to west is drawn as well as a scatter of hillocks allover.
beacons	Clearly drawn on Portsdown is a post with a smoking cresset, and a ladder to give access for maintaining the fire. Labelled:- Becon
woods	Each settlement is drawn with trees amongst its houses. A few woods are shown as well, some labelled, eg:- No: Wood So: Wood on Hayling Island.
settlements streets	Only settlements along the coast are drawn.
town	Portsmouth and Gosport are a tight huddle of buildings within walls, though streets can be seen. Streets and burgage plots are more obvious in the plan of Southampton. Other places have a church and a scatter of buildings and trees. Towns are labelled in block caps or upright lowercase or italic lowercase depending on size. SOUTHAMPTON [block caps] PORTSMOUTH [block caps] Gosport [upright lowercase] Fareham [italic lowercase] Limington [italic lowercase]

village	villages are drawn as a scatter of buildings with a church, and labelled in lowercase italic text, eg:- Kingston Bewley

hamlet	Hamlets are just a scatter of buildings, labelled in lowercase italic, eg:- Leape or unlabelled as at Havant!

roads bridges	Roads are not shown on the chart. The bridge giving access to Portsea Island is drawn by an arch, labelled:- Portsea bridge and guarded by more fortifications.
miscellaneous
mills windmills	On Portsdown is a post mill, labelled:- Mill
salterns	A couple of miles west of Lymington there are drawn rows of rectangular ponds, the salterns, labelled:- Salt Pitts
chalk pits	Two chalk pits are drawn on Portsdown, probably because they are eye catching landmarks. They are labelled:- Great Chalk pitt Little Chalk pitt The greater quarry, prominently white, is used as a landmark for a leading line.
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GREENVILE	COLLINS
	Greenvile Collins was an English naval officer, flourished about 1679-94. From 1669-71 he sailed as master with Sir John Narborough on an expedition into the Pacific Ocean, and worked as a hydrographer during the voyage. He was appointed by Samuel Pepys, Secretary to the Admiralty, June 1681, to:-
	to make a survey of the sea coast of the Kingdom
	and was granted the title Hydrographer to the King. Inadequately funded and equipped, he made 120 plans of harbours and coasts, 48 of which were engraved and published as GREAT-BRITAIN'S COASTING PILOT in 1693, continuing to 12 editions into the 18th century.
	The title page of the 1753 edition reads:-
	GREAT-BRITAIN'S COASTING PILOT. In Two PARTS. Being a NEW and EXACT Survey of the Sea-Coast OF ENGLAND and SCOTLAND From the RIVER of Thames to the Westward and Northward, WITH THE ISLANDS of SCILLY, And from thence to CARLISLE. Likewise the Islands of ORKNEY and SHETLAND. DESCRIBING All the Harbours, Rivers, Bays, Roads, Rocks, Sands, Buoys, Beacons, Sea-Marks, Depths of Water, Latitude, Bearings and Distances from Place to any Place, and how to Harbour a Ship in the same with Safety. With Directions for Coming into the CHANNEL between ENGLAND and FRANCE. By Captain GREENVILE COLLINS, Hydrographer in Ordinary to the KING'S most excellent MAJESTY. LONDON: Printed for W. and J. MOUNT and T. PAGE, on Tower-Hill. M,DCC,LIII.
	Although imperfect, it was widely used; it was the first comprehensive survey made of the coasts of the British Isles. Following on from Lucas Waghenaer's sea atlas, this pilot book was also called a 'waggoner' by the English seaman.
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REFERENCES
	Collins, Greenvile: 1693 & 1753: Great Britain's Coasting Pilot: Mount, W and J & Page, T (London)

ITEMS	in HMCMS Map Collection (scanned item in bold)
	HMCMS:FA2001.97 -- chart
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