notes Morden 1676

	Research Notes Map Group MORDEN 1676

Morden 1676
	Map, Hant Sh ie Hampshire, scale about 28 miles to 1 inch, one of a set of playing cards, by Robert Morden, 1676; published 1676-80 and 1760s-80s. The card for Hampshire is the V or 5 of Diamonds. This map of Hampshire has roads, and is possibly the earliest road map of the county. In the Map Collection of Hampshire CC Museum Service, item HMCMS:FA1991.14 is a sheet map probably from the plates of the original playing card map, slightly amended, in an atlas, A Brief Description of England and Wales, published by H Turpin, London, about 1785. Features are illustrated from this map. The pack of cards is rare: only one pack is thought to exist? Notes and measurements have been made from a reproduction set of playing cards published by Harry Margary, Lympne, Kent, 1972.
	MAP FEATURES from reproduction playing card and sheet map
	MAP FEATURES from sheet map
	INTRODUCTION
	PUBLISHING HISTORY
	REFERENCES
	ITEMS in the Collection
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MAP FEATURES	from reproduction playing card and sheet map
	Remarks and measurements are made from the facsimile. Illustrations are from the later sheet map.
	The Hampshire playing card has a top panel with the suit mark, a diamond, stencilled on and the card number a 'V', this panel has the title 'Hant Sh'; a centre panel has a thumbnail map; a bottom panel has geographical information; Length 66, Bredth 30, Circumference 176 etc.
title plain cartouche	The map title is in a plain box at the top of the card together with a Diamond symbol and the roman figure V (5). Hant Sh: A box at the bottom has data about the county:- Length.__________________________66. Bredth.__________________________30. Circumference.___________________176. Southamp~: { D. from Lon.________60. 78. ___________{ Latitude.___________50. 56.
orientation compass rose up is N	There is a compass rose, a plain circle, lines for the four cardinal directions, a fleur de lys for north, and a cross for east.
scale line old english mile dividers	The scale line is 10 miles, chequered in miles; 10 miles =10.4mm gives a scale about 1 to 1547446 assuming a modern statute mile. Ie the map scale is about:- 1 to 1550000 24 miles to 1 inch. There is a pair of dividers above the scale line. Another estimate of scale can be made from town positions, comparing known town-town distances, using DISTAB.exe. The map scale is about:- 1 to 1800000 27.5 miles to 1 inch The map maker's mile is an:- Old English Mile = 1.15 staute miles but this is such a small map that this is not a good measure of the old english mile.
coast line coast shaded	The coast is shaded with horizontal lines with are carried into harbours and river mouths. Portsea Island and Hayling Island are (too) clearly marked.
rivers	Major rivers, not all, are shown by a solid wiggly line leading inland from the river mouth. None is named. The following are shewn:- Avon Test Wallop Itchin Hamble Meon Rother Hart ?
relief	none
woods	none
county	The county boundary is a dotted line. The contiguous counties are labelled, Pt. of Wilt etc. These labels appeared on the 2nd edition of the playing cards in 1676.
settlements	Settlements are mostly positioned by a circle, labelled in lowercase italic. Only the one city, Winchester, has more, a circle, tower with a cross, and a building, labelled in lowercase upright text.
roads	Roads are what makes this set of cards exciting; this is the first road map of Hampshire. The roads are pretty poor! They correspond in part to Ogilby routes, but only in part.
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MAP FEATURES	from the sheet map
	Only the differences of the sheet map from the playing card map are noted here. Illustrations are again from the sheet map.

scale line scale	The scale line of 10 miles is chequered at one mile intervals, labelled at 5 and 10 and:- Miles The length is 10.3mm, assuming a statute mile the scale is 1 to 1562470, ie a map scale about:- 1 to 1600000 ? 25 miles to 1 inch whatever the miles might be. The sheet has been trimmed recently, perhaps by a map dealer? It is not possible to tell if the Hampshire map was alone on a sheet or accompanied by another map - but, the trimming might have been occasioned by separating two maps from one sheet. wxh, sheet = 6x8.5cm wxh, map = 56x58mm, excluding the top and bottom caption areas.
title plain cartouche	The title cartouche at the top is partly trimmed off. The title is:- Hant Sh: as before. The roman V for the card's count and the overprinted red diamond for its suit are absent. There is a figure:- 5 to the left of the title. Looking again at the reproduced playing card it is possible to see the tail of this 5 at the base of the diamond on the reproduction.
roads	Roads are what makes this map exciting; this is the first road map of Hampshire. The roads are pretty poor! They correspond in part to Ogilby routes, but are not a copy of those routes in Hampshire. Roads are marked with a double line or a single line, indicating their importance? Their engraving is inconfident, and could be judged to have been made at a late stage in map making; perhaps an afterthought; roads run through place names. The sheet map is clearer than the reproduced playing card (partly because of the 'antiquarian choice' of a mid/pale brown to print the reproduction) so it is easier to list the roads, (an = for a double line, a - for a single; modern spellings):- (from Reading? Berkshire) = Basingstoke = Overton = (passing Whitchurch) Andover = (Wiltshire, towards Salisbury) (from Reading? Berkshire) - Alton (from Farnham? Surrey) = Alton = Alresford = (crosses a bridge into) Winchester = Southampton Winchester - Bishops Waltham Southampton - Romsey Southampton (across Southampton Water) - Ringwood Southampton (across Southampton Water) - Dibden - Lymington (Surrey) = Petersfield = Portchester Petersfield - (West Sussex, probably Chichester)
settlements	Only the city and towns are shown.
city	circle, building with tower and cross; labelled in upright lowercase:- Winchester

town village	On the playing cards these are positioned by a circle, labelled in italic lowercase. On the sheet map a building with tower is added to the ?more important places, the towns; this is often severly cramped by the existing place name engraving. Two extra places are added (t if tower and building added, x if extra):- Abotsham [Abbots Ann?] Alersford [New Alresford] Alton [t] Andover [t] Basingstoke [t] Bushwaltham [t] Calshot Caston [Easton] Christ Church [t] Debden Elinge Ellingham Fairleigh [Farley] Farham [t] Fordingbridg [t] Fowley Havant [tx] Hawkley Hound Husborne [Hurstbourne Priors] Kingsclere [t] Kingston [where ??] Lemington [t] Odiam [t] Overton Petersfeild [t] Porchester Portsmouth [t] Ringwood [t] Rumsey [t?] S Hampton [t] Silchester Stokbridg [t?] Swarwotton Whitchurch [tx] The two towns marked [x] are not on the playing card version.
	INTRODUCTION
	It is suggested that, like similar packs on this and other subjects the cards were for instruction, education, rather than for serious use as playing cards. Morden's own words on the preliminary cards belie this idea. Card playing was considerd sinful by the Cromwellians and it is suggested that educational cards like these met with less disapproval.
	There is an introduction on a preliminary card:-
	The Explanation of these Cards.
	The four Suites are the 4 parts of England, the 13 Northern Counties are Clubs, the Western are Spades, the Eastern are Hearts, and the Southern are Diamonds, in each Card you have a Map of the County with the cheife Towns and Rivers, a Compas for the Bearings, and a Scale for Mensuration, there is also given the Length, Breadth, and Circumference of each County, the Latitude of the Cheife Citty or Towne, and its Distance form London. First the reputed and then the Measured Miles by Esqr. Ogilby with his leave we have Incerted. there is also the Road from London to each Citty or Towne, the great Roads are drawn with a double line, the other Roads a single line, as also the cheif Hills and other remarks The use of these cards are the same as with the Common Cards in all respects only useing the Numbers in these insted of the spots in the Other.
	The last remark reminds the user that the cards have no spots, but have at the top edge the suit shown by its usual symbol, and a roman number from I to X, or a vignette portrait of a common fellow, Queen Catherine of Braganza, and King Charles II.
	ENGLAND & WALES
	Another preliminary card has
	A Mapp of England & Wales
	This is tiny; the scale line of 60 miles is 8.2mm long in the facsimile version, a scale of 1 to 13700000 (13738302). The counties are labelled with a letter or two; Hampshire is 'Ha'. The map manages to fit in a compass rose, scale line and royal coat of arms, and a caption:-
	The 52 Counties of England and Wales, Geographically described in a pack of Cards, whereunto is added ye Length, Breadth, & Circuit. of each County the Latitude Scituation and distance from London of ye principal Cities, Towns, and Rivers, with other Remarks as plaine and ready for the playing all our English Games, as any of ye Common Cards.
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PUBLISHING	HISTORY - as playing cards
	Robert Morden published a set of playing cards illustrating the counties of England and Wales in 1676. It is entered in the Term Catalogue for Easter:-
	Published in 'The 52 Counties of England and / Wales, Geographically described / in a pack of Cards, / Whereunto is / added ye Length. Breadth. & Circuit. / of each County the latitude the Scitu- / ation and distance from London of ye / principal Cities, Towns. and Rivers. / with other Remarks as plaine and / ready for the playing of our Eng- / lsh Games as any of ye Common / Cards.' 1676.
	The cards were to be 'Sold by Robert Morden at the Atlas in Cornhill, Will. Berry at the Globe in the Strand, Robert Green in Budge row, and George Minikin at the King's Head in S. Martin's.'
	There are other editions in 1676; the second edition has the names of the adjacent counties marked on each card.
	The playing cards were copied by John Lenthall, 1717.
	The playing cards (2nd edn 1676) were reproduced in facsimile by Harry Margary, Lympne Castle, Kent, 1972

PUBLISHING	HISTORY - as sheet maps
	Morden's playing card maps were printed as sheet maps at various dates in the late 17th and the 18th centuries.

	Published in 'A Pocket Book of all the Counties of England and Wales: Wherein are describ'd, the Chief Cities, Market-Towns and others; With the Rivers and Roads from London. To which is added, a Compass, shewing the Bearing, and a Scale for the Distance of Places. There is also given the length, Breadth and Circumference of each County: The Latitude of each City or Town, and its Distance from London. Being a necessary and plain Direction for Travelling to any Place or Town in all England and Wales. Sold by Robert Morden at the Atlas in Cornhill, and Joseph Pask Stationer, at the three Inkbottles in Castle-ally, under the west-end of the Royal Exchange,' London, 1680.
	The 1680 atlas size is 2 1/2 x 5 7/8 ins, there are two maps on each page, one above the other; the map is the outline map, a panel below gives the advertised data about the county and towns; the suit marks are not included.
	Published in 'A Brief Description Of England and Wales; Containing A particular Account of each County; With its Antiquities, Curiosities, Situation, Figure, Extent, Climate, Rivers, Lakes, Soils, Agriculture, Civil and Ecclesiastical Divisions, Cities, Towns, Palaces, Corporations, Markets, Fairs, Manufactories, noted Places, Bays, Harbours, Products, &c. and the Number of its Inhabitants. As Also, The Distance of each Market Town from London, by the latest Survey, with the Latitude and Longitude of each County, Town or City, and on what Point of the Compass from London. Embellished with Maps of each County. Very useful for Travellers and others, and very proper for Schools, to give Youth an Idea of Geography, and the Nature of his own Country, and each County. London: Printed for H. Turpin, No.104, St. John's Street, West Smithfield.' about 1773 or 1785.
	The Turpin edition reprints the 1680 plates plus pages of text, an introduction and text for each county; its size is 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 ins; H Turpin was at 104 St John's Street about 1764-87.
	An example of the sheet map for Hampshire is in the Map Collection of Hampshire CC Museums Service, item HMCMS:FA1991.14.
	The 1680 atlas had two maps, one above the other on a page size about 6.5x15cm; two of our sheet would not fit on a page like this. The 1785 atlas had a page size about 6.5x9cm; on which our sheet would fit. The paper quality is a fine laid paper which also suggests the later date. The sheet map in the HMCMS collection is probably from:-
	: 1785 (about): Brief Description of England and Wales ...: Turpin, H (West Smithfield, London)
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REFERENCES
	Morden, Robert: 1680: Pocket Book of all the Counties of England and Wales: (London)
	Morden, Robert: 1785 (?): Brief Description of England and Wales: Turpin, H (London)
	O'Donoghue, F M: 1901: Catalogue of the Collection of Playing-cards Bequeathed to the British Museum by Lady Charlotte Schreiber: (London)
	Phillips, H D: 1903: Catalogue of the Collection of Playing cards ... formed by Henry D Phillips::: collection in Guildhall Library
	Wadsworth, F A: 1942: County Maps as Playing Cards: Trans of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire: 45: pp.18-23
also see:-
	related map group -- Lenthall 1717

ITEMS	in HMCMS Map Collection (scanned item in bold)
	HMCMS:FA1991.14 -- map
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	All Old Hampshire Mapped Resources