Research Notes


Map Group DANKERTS 1640s-50s
Dankerts
1640s-50s
 NOTES from DANKERTS'S CHART of THE CHANNEL, 1640s-50s

Chart, a New and Accurate Map of the Channel between England and France, scale about 20 miles to 1 inch, by Cornelis Dankerts the elder, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1640s-50s.
The chart studied was on display at the Institute of Maritime and Heritage Studies, Portsmouth.
The chart size is: wxh sheet = 60x50cm; wxh map = 571x487mm.
These notes are strongly biased towards a Hampshire interest.
MAP FEATURES
HAMPSHIRE COAST
HAMPSHIRE TOWNS
MAP FEATURES
title    
monumental cartouche    
map maker    
Printed in a monumental cartouche lower right is:-
Novissima et Accuratissima CANALIS inter ANGLIAE ET GALLIAE TABULA CUM OMNIBUS SUI PORTIBUS, ARENIS ET PROFUNDIS Per JUSTINUM DANCKERUM Amstellodami cum Privilegio Ordinum Hollandiae et Westfrisiae.
The cartouche is decorated with a female figure carrying a spear, sitting on a cannon, with spears below, and several winged cherubs, with caduceus, shield, cornucopias, etc.

table of symbols    
Printed lower right, tucked in beside the title cartouche, is a table of symbols:-
SIC NOTANTUR.
[fortification] Urbes Capitales.
[circle, buildings, towers with cross] ut et Celebres.
[building and tower] Urbeculae.
[circle] Oppida et Pagi.
orientation    
compass rose    
up is N    
rhumb lines    
The chart has two compass roses; North marked by a fleur de lys; East by a circle and 3 circles. The chart is printed with North at the top of the sheet. Rhumb lines are drawn across the sea areas.

scale lines    
scale    
There are two scale lines printed lower right; french, german miles, eg:-
Miliaria Gallica Sive horae itineris 20 in uno Gradu.
chequered and labelled in minutes. The 'miles' are leagues. The 30 miles = 132.4 mm gives a scale 1 to 1259717, assuming a league of 3 nautical miles of 6080 feet. The chart scale is about:-
1 to 1260000
6 leagues to 1 inch
20 statute miles to 1 inch

lat & long scales    
lat & long grid    
The map borders have scales of latitude and longitude for a rectangular projection; chequered at 4 minute intervals, labelled at degrees. The chart includes from 11d to 21d E, from 46d 50d to 52d 16m N. The prime meridian is in the Atlantic, about 27d 50m W of Greenwich.
A graticule is drawn at 1 degree intervals.
The chart shows the coast of Bretagne, Normandie, Picardie, France and Flanders; and the coast of southern England and Wales from Cardigan to Ipswich.

sea area    
sea plain    
depth soundings    
anchorages    
sandbanks    
The sea is plain with depth soundings in fathoms, sandbanks dotted and rocks drawn as little triangles, and anchorages shown by an anchor symbol.
The English Channel is labelled:-
LA MANCHE Sive HET CANAAL.
The coast line is shaded and tinted inland.

coastal defence    
castles    
battles    
The coastal defence of Hampshire is shown by:-
Hurst Cast
Calshot Chastle [sic]
Sea battles are marked by single or crossed swords. For example there is a single sword, labelled:-
1690
south of Hastings. This is presumably the Battle of Beachy Head, which we and the Dutch lost against the French.

rivers    
Quite a lot of landward detail is shown on the chart, including some rivers and settlements.
Hampshire rivers, not labelled, are thought to be:-
Stour
Avon, and the tributary Bourne at Shipton Bellinger
Test, and tributaries Anton and Dever
Itchen
Rother
Wey, northern and southern
Blackwater River
Loddon and Hart
Enborne

county    
Counties are noticed inland, county borders are a dotted line, tinted. The areas are named, eg:-
HANTSHIRE.
settlements    
Settlements are listed below for Hampshire. Symbols are explained in the table of symbols.

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HAMPSHIRE COAST
Places marked along the Hampshire coast are:-
Christchurch
Armouth
Hurst Cast
Kay haven
Lymington
Calshot Chastle
Southampton
Gilkiker
Spithead [anchor near]
Fareham
Porchester
Porstmouth [sic]
Langton haven
I. Haling
Emswoorth
Deane Sand [with an anchor in the middle]
Notice how Portsea Island is drawn very definitely detached, with a line across for Ports Bridge.
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HAMPSHIRE TOWNS
Of the 21 'usual' Hampshire towns the following are shown:-
Alton
Christchurch
Fareham
Lymington
Odiam
Porstmouth [sic]
Southampton
Winchester
Also shown is:-
Silchester
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