Research Notes


Map Group MOLL 1718
Moll 1718
Road strip maps for a road book, an abandoned project? by Herman Moll, about 1718.
The proposal by Herman Moll for a new version the road book published by John Ogilby 1675, was perhaps the first of four schemes all started in the 1710s. The road book was never completed.

11 pages of strip maps are known, plus a general map of England and Wales, scale about 33 miles to 1 inch, map size : wxh, sheet = 32.5x28.5cm; wxh, map = 303x277mm. These include routes in Hampshire.
These notes are made about the road strip maps planned by Herman Moll, London, about 1718 and 1732. The earlier strip maps have been studied from photocopies of their originals kindly provided by the University of London Library, call number GL 1730 H Moll. The London to Lands End strip road and the general map of England and Wales from a private collection have been scanned. Further maps of English roads are found in a set of Roads of Europe, the maps dated 1732. This item was also studied from photocopies, the original in the British Library, call number BL:118.c.23.
(There are two pages of maps of the 1718 set, the North Road from London, and the London to Holyhead road, in the British Museum collection, call number K.Top.V. 93 & 94; these have not been looked at.)
BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT
MOLL'S STRIP MAPS 1718-32, ROUTES & FEATURES
ENGLAND & WALES MAP FEATURES
HAMPSHIRE TOWNS - ENGLAND & WALES MAP
ITEMS in the Collection
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BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT
Marginal text on the north west road provides a clue to the overall planning of the reduction from Ogilby:-
The North-West Road in Ogilby's Book takes up four sheets in folio, and is divided into 25 Scrolls or Columns; each Column containing about 12 miles, as almost as many Points of different Bearings of the Compass as there are Columns. To avoid this Prolixity, we have brought 70 miles into a Column & mostly but one Compass. Here the Traveller may see his Rout and Bearing for a good way agree to one Bearing of the Compass.
The Directions of Turnings and Backwards Turnings to be avoided, mention'd in Ogilby's discourse, are omitted; for the Delineation of the Road itself, wherein you have them all, far excells any that can be taken from it. We have left out ye Names of ye Publick Houses on the Roads &c. as being Subject to Changes.
The aim was to present John Ogilby's data:-
Made Useful for ye Pocket
But the road book would still have been about 30x30cm, suitable for large pockets only. It was listed in Herman Moll's catalogue:-
... A New Pocket-Companion of the Roads of England and Wales, Eleven Inches high, and Twelve broad, which contains all the Cities, Market Towns, Boroughs, Post-Towns; all the Great or Post Roads, Principal Cross Roads, &c. with the Computed Miles from Town to Town.
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MOLL'S STRIP MAPS 1718-32, ROUTES & FEATURES
The plates of Moll's strip maps of 1718 that have been seen include the following routes, several per page. Fuller notes are made about Hampshire routes (and others on a whim). The style of title cartouche and title phrasing, compass rose, and whether there is an imprint, varies from plate to plate - these map features are noted. The sheets are not engraved as a coherent set. The 1718 plates are numbered 1.[no], using the order in the University of London set, which may be accidental and incomplete. The 1732 plates are numbered 2.[no] following the order in the BL set. The match to Ogilby plates is very approximate.
Route diagram:-


plate 1.1
The strip maps have:-
compass rose (simple) & plain cartouche (The road from ... to ...)
Oxford to    
Cambridge    
(Ogilby plate 80)
The Road from OXFORD to CAMBRIDGE
Oxford to    
Coventry    
(Ogilby plate 82)
The Road from OXFORD to COVENTRY &c.
Oxford to Bristol    
(Ogilby plate 79)
The Road from OXFORD to BRISTOL
Oxford to    
Salisbury    
(Ogilby plate 83)
The Road from OXFORD to SALISBURY &c.
Computed miles from Oxford to Abington 5. Shelford 12. Hungerford 4. N. Tudworth 10. Salisbury 10. Cranborn 10. Wimborn 8. Poole 4.
from Oxford, Oxfordshire; via Hungerford, Berkshire; then North Tidworth, Wiltshire; across a corner of Hampshire; to Salisbury, Wiltshire; on through Cranborn and Wimborn Minster, to Poole, Dorset.

Oxford to    
Chichester    
(Ogilby plate 81)
The Road from OXFORD to CHICHESTER
Computed miles. from Oxford to Abington 5. to East Ilsley 8. Newbury [ ] Kingsclere 5. Basingstoke 7. Alton 8. Petersfield [10.] Chichester [12.]
from Oxford, Oxfordshire; via Newbury, Berkshire; then Kingsclere, Basingstoke, Alton, and Petersfield, Hampshire; to Chichester, West Sussex.


plate 1.2
The strip maps have:-
compass rose (simple) & plain cartouche (An actual survey of the road from ... to ...) & imprint
London to Bath    
Chippenham to    
Bristol    
Bristol to Exeter    
(Ogilby plates 10, 11, 58)
An Actuall Survey of the ROAD from LONDON to BATH through Chippenham. From Chippenham to BRISTOL & From BRISTOL to EXETER
The Black Spots mark'd in ye Road thus [double line for road, a spot] are Statute Measured Miles Commencing from the Standard in Corn-hill each Mile containing 5280 Feet.
The Computed or Post Miles are From London to Brentford 8. Colbrook 9 Maidenhead 9 Twiford 7 Reading 4 Theale 4 Woolhampton 6 Thatcham 4 Newbury 3 Hungerford 7 Marlborough 8 Lit. Kennet 4. Caln 5. Chippenham 5. Pickwick 3 Bath 7
The Computed Miles from Chippenham to BRISTOL
From Chippenham to Marshfield 9 Bristol 11
The Computed Miles from BRISTOL to EXETER
From Bristol to Bishops Ch[ ] 6 Wells 9 Glastonbury 4 Middlesey 9 Taunton 9 Wellington 5 Columpton 10 Bradinch 2 Exeter 5.
from London; via Brentford, Middlesex; across Buckinghamshire; then Reading, Newbury, Hungerford, Berkshire; Marlborough, Calne, Chippenham, Wiltshire; to Bath, Somerset. AND from Chippenham, Wiltshire; to Bristol. AND from Bristol; across Somerset; to Exeter, Devon.
The imprint at the bottom includes:-
... H Moll.

plate 1.3
The strip maps have:-
compass rose (simple) & plain cartouche (The road from ... to ...)
London to Harwich    
(Ogilby plate 19)
The Road from LONDON to Harwich
London to    
Yarmouth    
(Ogilby plate 54)
The Road from LONDON to Yarmouth Commencing at Colchester in the Harwich Road.
London to    
Chichester    

Midhurst to    
Winchester    
(Ogilby plate 39)
The Road from LONDON to Chichester Commencing at Guilford in the Portsmouth Road. With the Road from Midhurst to Petersfield & Winchester
...
Computed Miles. From Guilford to Godalmin 4. to Chiddingfold 5. to Midhurst 8. to Chichester 10.
From Midhurst to Petersfield 7. to Bramdean 8. to Winchester 7.
...
from Midhurst, West Sussex; through Petersfield, and Bramdean, to Winchester, Hampshire.

London to Hythe    
(Ogilby plate 20)
The Road from LONDON to Hith.
London to Norwich    
(Ogilby plate 46)
The Road From LONDON to Norwich Commencing at Puckeridge in the [ ] Road

plate 1.4
The strip maps have:-
compass rose (fancy) & rococo cartouche (The road from ... to ... actually surveyed)
London to Dover    
(Ogilby plate 18)
The ROAD from LONDON to DOVER Actually survey'd ...
London to Rye    
(Ogilby plate 31)
The ROAD from LONDON to RYE in Com~ SUSSEX Actually Survey'd ...
London to    
Portsmouth    
(Ogilby plate 30)
The ROAD from LONDON to PORTSMOUTH Actually Survey'd
Containing 73 1/2 Mile [ ] from ye [ ] in Cornhill to Wansworth [6 1/4] Kingston [12 1/2] Cobham [ ] Guildford [ ] Godalmin [ ] Lippock [ ] Petersfield [ ] Harnden [ ] Portsmouth [ ].
from London; via Godalming, Surrey; in and out of West Sussex and Hampshire; then Petersfield, and Horndean, to Portsmouth, Hampshire.


plate 1.5
The strip maps have:-
compass rose (fancy) & plain cartouche (An actual survey of the road from ... to ...) & vignette & imprint
London to    
Holyhead    
(Ogilby plate 21, 22, 23, 24)
An Actuall Survey of the NORTH WEST ROAD from LONDON to HOLY HEAD &c.
This road has a vignette scene above the title cartouche; a large building, two gentlemen on horseback setting out, another gentleman on horseback supervising two surveyors with a waywiser, etc. The scene is a version of the frontispiece in John Ogilby's Britannia.
There is a footer in the title cartouche:-
Sold by H: Moll against [D ] Court between Temple Bar and St. Clements Church in ye Strand ...
mentioning a series of publishers.

Chester to    
Holy Well    
(Ogilby plate 98)
The Road from Chester to Holy Well ...

plate 1.6
The strip maps have:-
compass rose (fancy) & plain cartouche (An actual survey of the road from ... to ...) & imprint
London to Berwick    
(Ogilby plates 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 95)
An Actuall Survey of the NORTH ROAD from LONDON by York to BERWICK. And from Ferry Bridg by Wetherby to Borou: Bridg.
...
Made Useful for ye Pocket by H: Moll Geog~. 1718

plate 1.7
The strip maps have:-
compass rose (simple) & plain cartouche (The road from ... to ...)
London to Carlisle    
(Ogilby plates 37, 38)
The Road from LONDON to Carlisle. Commencing at Derlestone in the Holy head Road.
includes a section from Burton, through Kendal, Westmorland; to Penrith, Cumberland.

London to Derby    
(Ogilby plate 40)
The Road from LONDON to Darby Commencing at Stony Stratford in the Holy head Road.
London to    
Shrewsbury     
and Welshpool    
(Ogilby plate 50)
The Road from LONDON to Shrewsbury & Welshpool Commencing at Meriden in ye Holy head Road.
London to St Neots    
and Oakham    
(Ogilby plate 45)
The Road from LONDON to St. Neots & Oakeham Commencing at High Barnet in ye Holy head Road

plate 1.8
The strip maps have:-
compass rose (simple) & plain cartouche (An actual survey of the road from ... to ...)
London to    
Lands End    
(Ogilby plates 25, 26, 27, 28)
An Actuall Survey of the ROAD From LONDON to the LANDS-END
...
The Computed Post miles are:-
From LONDON ... Staines [16] Bagshot 8. Hartley Row 8. Basingstoke 9 Whitchurch [11] Andover [6] Middle Wallop 6 Salisbury 10 ... ...
from London; via Staines, Middlesex; and Bagshot, Surrey; then Blackwater, Hartford Bridge, Basingstoke, Whitchurch, Andover, and Middle Wallop, Hampshire; through Salisbury, Wiltshire; then Somerset; Devon; to Penzance and Senan, Cornwall.


plate 1.9
The strip maps have:-
compass rose (simple) & plain cartouche (An actual survey of the road from ... to ...)
London to    
St David's    
(Ogilby plates 14, 15, 16, 17)
An Actuall Survey of ye ROAD from LONDON to St. DAVIDS.

plate 1.10
The strip maps have:-
compass rose (simple) & plain cartouche (The road from ... to ...)
London to    
Barnstable    
and Truro    
(Ogilby plates 32, 33, 34, 69)
The Road From LONDON to Barnstable & Truro Commencing at Andover in ye Lands End Road.
from Andover, Hampshire; through Amesbury, Shrewton, Warminster, etc, Wiltshire; then Somerset; to Exeter and Barnstable, Devon.


plate 1.11
The strip maps have:-
compass rose (simple) & plain cartouche (An actual survey of the road from ... to ...) & vignette & imprint
At the top of the sheet is:-
Printed and Sold by Phil: Overton against St. Dunstans Church, Fleet Street. Tho. Bowles in St. Paules Church Yard & Jos: Hyde behind the Royall Exchange.
London to    
Aberystwyth    
(Ogilby plates 1, 2, 3)
An Actuall Survey of the ROAD from LONDON to ABERISTWITH & From ye 4 Shire Stone in the Aberistwith Road to MONTGOMERY.
Above the title cartouche is a vignette scene; a lady, ?statue, on a plinth, behind two surveyors with a waywiser.


plate 2.13
The strip maps have:-
compass rose (fancy and plain) & title (The ... road from ... to ...) & scale lines (english and scottish miles) & imprint
London to    
Inverness    
The North Road from LONDON to INVERNESS
From London to York, Newcastle, Berwick, Edinburg, Perth, Montros, Aberdeen, Bamf, and Inverness.
...
H. Moll Geographer 1732.

plate 2.14
The strip maps have:-
compass rose (plain) & title (The ... road from ... to ...) & scale line & imprint
London to    
Holyhead    
The NORTH WEST ROAD from London to Holy Head ...
By H. Moll Geographer
...
The course of Sailing from Holy Head to Dublin is laid down in the General map
London to Bath    
and Bristol    
The Road from LONDON to Bristol, Bath and Wells. ...
Derlestone Bridge    
to Carlisle    
The Road from Darle Stone Bridg to Carlile. ...

plate 2.16
The strip maps have:-
compass rose (fancy and plain) & title (An actual survey from ... to ...) & imprint
There is a single title statement for the several routes on the sheet. Also:-
This ROADS are Taken from Mr. OGILBY'S Survey / By H. Moll Geographer.
... Sold by H. Moll over against Devereux Court between Temple bar and St. Clements Church in ye Strand where may be had his New Atlas of 28 Two Sheet Maps bound or single, without any Mixture of old and Erronious Maps.
London to    
Holyhead    
London to Oxford    
Oxford to    
Cambridge    
London to    
Cambridge    
An Actuall Survey from LONDON to ABERISTWITH in Wales. From LONDON to OXFORD. From OXFORD to CAMBRIDGE. and from LONDON to CAMBRIDGE. ...

plate 2.17
The strip maps have:-
compass rose (fancy) & title (An actual survey of the road from ... to ...) & imprint
London to    
Lands End    
This ROAD is Taken from Mr. OGILBY'S Survey / By H. Moll Geographer
An Actuall Survey of the WEST-ROAD from LONDON to ye LANDS END in CORNWALL. ...
from London; via Staines, Middlesex; and Bagshot, Surrey; then Blackwater, Hartford Bridge, Basingstoke, Whitchurch, Andover, and Middle Wallop, Hampshire; Salisbury, Wiltshire; across Somerset; via Exeter and Plymouth, Devon; to Penzance, and Lands End, Cornwall.

Note: Moll's 1732 guide to Europe has the London to Lands End road, a different plate.
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ENGLAND & WALES MAP FEATURES
Remember that these notes are biased towards a Hampshire interest.
title cartouche    
plain cartouche    
map maker    
publisher    
Printed upper right is a plain cartouche:-
The roads of ye South Part of GREAT BRITAIN, Called ENGLAND and WALES.
Containing all ye Cities, Market Towns, Post Towns, Boroughs: And whatever Places have ye Election of Members of Parliament &c. All the Great or Post Roads, and principal Cross-Roads &c. With ye Computed Miles from Town to Town. / By Herman Moll Geographer.
Below the title cartouche is:-
Printed and Sold by T. Bowles next ye Chapter House in St. Pauls Church yard & J. Bowles at ye Black Horse in Cornhill
Printed lower centre is a complaint by the map maker:-
Note. This Map has been Copied four times very confused and Scandalously.
dedication    
coat of arms    
Printed lower left is a royal coat of arms of the house of Hanover with the mark of cadency for the eldest son. The coat of arms is not well engraved. Below is a dedication:
To His Royal Higness [sic] FREDERICK Prince of WALES. This Map is most Humbly Dedicated By Her: Moll Geogr.
table of symbols    
Printed on the left is a table of symbols:-
[double line] Great or Direct Roads
[single line] Principal Cross Roads
many not to be found in Mr. Ogilby's Book.
2.5.7 The Computed Miles, as from London to Brentford 8 and from Brentford to Hounslow 2 &c.
[circle, buildings and towers] Cities
[double cross, upright and two cross bars] Archbishopricks
[cross] Bishopricks
circle, tower and flag] Post Towns or Stages on the Post Roads.
[circle and flag] Market and Post Town
[circle] Market Towns
The explanation is not clear until you look at the map; the flags and crosses are added symbols on a settlement symbol.

orientation    
compass rose    
up is N    
Printed upper right is a compass rose; star points for cardinal and half cardinal directions, lines for false points; North marked by a fleur de lys, East by a cross. The map is printed with North at the top of the sheet.

scale line    
scale    
Printed on the left is a scale line:-
Miles of G. Britain 60 in One Degree
chequered in miles to 5 then at 5 mile intervals, labelled at 5, 10, 20 and 30. The 30 miles = 23.1 mm gives a scale 1 to 2090057 assuming statute miles. The map scale is about:-
1 to 2100000
33 miles to 1 inch

lat and long scales    
lat and long grid    
In the map borders there are scales of latitude and longitude for a conical projection; chequered at 10 minute intervals, labelled at degrees. A graticule is printed over the map at degree intervals. The upper longitude scale is labelled at the right:-
Degrees East from London
The prime meridian appears to go through central London, rather than Greenwich.
The lower scale of longitude is labelled in roman numbers, and is labelled:- Minutes of Time West from London.
Each degree being 4 minutes of time.
The map includes from 2d 30m E to 7d 50m W, from 49d 50m to 55d 40m N; the whole of England and Wales, with parts of the coast of Scotland, Ireland, and France in outline.

sea area    
sea plain    
The sea area is plain, with some areas labelled, eg:-
THE ENGLISH CHANNEL
coast line    
coast shaded    
headlands    
The coast line is emphasised by shading.
Some headlands are noticed, eg:-
Peverel Pt.
rivers    
Rivers are drawn by a wiggly line tapering inland. Only the largest rivers are labelled at their estuary, eg:-
Severn fl.
The rivers shown in Hampshire are:- Stour, Avon, Test, Anton, Itchen, Meon, Rother, ?Lyde; ie not all the major rivers are noticed.

county    
table of data    
County boundaries are dotted lines, emphasised by a tint for each county. The county areas are labelled, eg:-
Hamp S.
Hampshire has blue, the surrounding counties:- Dorset pink, Wiltshire yellow, Berkshire green, Surrey pink, Sussex green, Isle of Wight yellow.
Printed upper left is a table of:-
The Area of the Counties of England is given in Square Miles, likewise the Length and Breadth.
In columns:-
Cou. Names / Sqr. M. / Le. / Br.
...
Hampshire / 1481 / 62 / 36
...
England 42,439, Wales 7011, Sum Tot. 49,450 Square Miles.
Below the table Herman Moll has an advertisement for county maps:-
I have lately done a Set of the Counties of England of 50 Maps, Scotland of 36, and Ireland of 20, in all 106 Maps. An Ingenious Gentleman has taken the Pains to measure them all, so as you see ye Table of ye Counties of England here above.
settlements    
Settlements are marked by a circle with extra elements for their status, places are not particularly differentiated by style of lettering. The scheme is explained in the table of symbols. In Hampshire:-
city     circle, buildings and towers? cross, flag; labelled in italic lowercase text, eg:-
Winchester
the cross for a bishoprick, the flag for a post town.

town     circle, probably with a flag; labelled in italic lowercase text, eg:-
Alton
Andover
the flag for a post town.

roads    
Roads are drawn by a double or single line, for direct and cross roads. The routes in Hampshire are [p] for a post town/stage marked by a flag:-
[double line] from London; via Bagshot [p], Surrey; Hertford Br [p], Basingstoke [p], Whitchurch [p], Andover [p], Hampshire; then Salisbury [p], Wiltshire; and westward.
[double line] branch from Basingstoke [p], through Sutton, Stockbridg [p], Hampshire; then Dunkton, Wiltshire; and on to Dorchester [p], Dorset.
[double line] branch from Bagshot [p] through Farnha. [p], Surrey; then Alton [p], Alesford, Winchester [p], Rumsey [p], C. Malwood, Ringwood [p], Hampshire; and on to Poole [p], Dorset.
[single line] from Poole [p], Dorset; then Christ Church [p] to Lemington [p], Hampshire.
[single line] from Rumsey [p] to Southampton [p], Hampshire.
[double line] from London; via Godalm~ [p], Surrey; then Lippok, Petersfield [p], Harn~, Cosh. [p], to Portsmouth [p], Hampshire.
[single line] ... via Newbury [p], Berkshire; then Kingscler, Basingstoke [p], pass by Odiam which is not on the route but marked [p], Alton [p], Petersfield [p], Hampshire; and on to Chichester [p], West Sussex.

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HAMPSHIRE TOWNS - ENGLAND & WALES MAP
20 of the '21' old market towns in 'Hamp Shire' are shown labelled as:-
 
Alton
Andover
Basingstoke
Waltham
Christ Church
Farham
Fordingbridg
[Gosport missing]
Haven [Havant]
Kingscler
Lemington
Alesford
Odiam
Petersfield
Portsmouth
Ringwood
Rumsey
Southampton
Stockbridg
Whitchurch
Winchester
 
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ITEMS  in HMCMS Map Collection and Private Collections   (scanned item in bold)
  private collection (30) -- road map
  private collection (31) -- strip map
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   All Old Hampshire Mapped Resources