Research Notes


Map Group DUMMER 1698
Dummer 1698
Charts of river estuaries in Hampshire drawn for A Survey of the Ports on the South West Coast of England from Dover to the Lands-end, various scales, made by Edmund Dummer and Captain Thomas Wiltshaw, Royal Navy, 1698 (made together with Captain James Conaway and Captain William Cruft, Masters of Trinity House at Deptford)
(These are not a published or printed maps.)
The charts are in a bound volume of manuscript maps with descriptions of particular ports and harbours. The page size is wxh=23.5x35.5cm; the charts are on single pages except for Southampton.
EDMUND DUMMER
TRANSCRIPTION
REFERENCES
ITEMS in the Collection
EDMUND DUMMER
Edmund Dummer was appointed Surveyor to the Navy at Portsmouth, Hampshire, he was officer in charge of dockyard stores and ship maintenance. In 1698 he initiated a plan to survey harbours on the south coast, at a time when war with France, and possible invasion, was a real threat. The survey was allowed only 2 months for 18 harbours, and involved Captain Thomas Wilshaw of the navy and Captains Conaway and Cruft of Trinity House. Given this short time the surveying was understandably sketchy. Nine copies of the report were made; 3 are known in the British Museum - Sloane MS3233, 3 in the National Maritime Museum, 1 in the Royal Geographical Society, the HMCMS copy is one of the remaining 2 (Where is the ninth?).
There is a separate plan of Portsmouth and Southampton Water made by Edmund Dummer, 1698, not included in this survey, now in the British Museum, King's MS 43 fol.89.
Facing the title page of this copy of the report is a bookplate, a coat of arms and crest with motto:-
DEO DUCENTE
and the engravers mark:-
[Exdriel] Sculpt.
Below the bookplate an owner has pasted a slip cut from a sale catalogue. The book was lot 824 and assessed as:-
... very neatly drawn, an official manuscript.
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TRANSCRIPTION
TITLE PAGE
A SURVEY of the Ports on the South West Coast of England from Dover to the Lands-end.
BY Edmd Dummer Surveyor & Capt. Tho. Wiltshaw Esqrs. Comrs. of his Ma Navy together wth. Capt. James Conaway & Capt. William Cruft Masters of Trinity House at Deptford
DELINEATED in July & Augst. 1698
Introductory Pages
Adressed By way of Letter to the Principal Officers and Comrs. of his Maties. Navy.
Gentn.
Orders to Survey ye: Coast    
Having receiv'd Your directions grounded upon the Orders of the Rt. Honble the Lords of the Admty. of the 6th: of June last, For taking a Survey of the Ports Westward of Dover as farr as the Isle of Wight and thence to the Lands-end, and to give their Lopps. an Account which way, and at what Charge they may be made most usefull for ye Navy
When ye Survey Com~enced    
Wee did in pursuance of the Same proceed on the said Services ye 4th. July last, and doe now present You with an Account of all that Wee judge observable of Them, with relation to the purposes of the said Order And thereunto Wee have annex'd a Description of each Place with referrances to the remarkable particulars of each Draught as their Condition and place respectively require for their Explanation.
And to the end You may take a fitt impression of the advantages conceivable to be reaped by improvements for the Services of the Navy, Within the Generall tract of the Sea Coast which is menconed in the said Order, besides what may be done at those Places which are already in use; Be pleas'd in the First place to Observe that the particular Places Wee have Viewed for the Same stand Named in their Course & Scituation from the said Port of Dover Westward as follows Vizt.
What place were Surveyed    
Havens : 1 : Rye
: 2 : Pemsey
: 3 : Cookmere
: 4 : Newhaven
Rivers : 5 : Shoreham
: 6 Arundall
: 7 Hampton
: 8 Bussleton
: 9 Beauley
: 10 Lymington
: 11 Christ Church
Ports : 12 Poole
: 13 Weymouth
: 14 Exmouth
: 15 Dartmouth
: 16 Fowey
: 17 Falmouth
: 18 Helford
No remarkable place omitted    
By which Catalogue and by viewing the Description of the said Sea Coast in your Comon Mapps, you will perceive Wee have refused noe remarkable Place how inconsiderable or unfitt soever it might be for the purposes Wee were to enquire after; Lest the Overlooking any of them might leave room to doubt that compleatness in our Account as to the Sum Totall of Places wch. Wee conceive in an implyed Sence was intended to resolve the whole Question, Namely Whether there be any beside the Ports now in use upon the sd. Sea Coast capable of improvements, and which way and at what Charge to be made most usefull for the Navy.
And having said thus much for a preliminary to the whole, Wee shall proceed particularly upon each of them in their Order before recited, Begining wth: the Antient Port of Rye.
there is a full transcription for each place, and further information in:-
South Coast Harbours 1698
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REFERENCES
Robinson, A H W: 1962: Marine Cartography in Britain: Leicester University Press

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ITEMS  in HMCMS Map Collection   (scanned item in bold)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24 -- report
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.1 -- chart (1)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.2 -- chart (2)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.3 -- chart (3)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.4 -- chart (4)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.5 -- chart (5)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.6 -- chart (6)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.7 -- chart (7)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.8 -- chart (8)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.9 -- chart (9)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.10 -- chart (10)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.11 -- chart (11)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.12 -- chart (12)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.13 -- chart (13)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.14 -- chart (14)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.15 -- chart (15)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.16 -- chart (16)
  HMCMS:FA1991.24.17 -- chart (17)
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