Research Notes


Map Group SENEX 1719
Senex 1719
Road book, Survey of all the Principal Roads of England and Wales, including road strip maps with sections in Hampshire, scales about 2.5 miles to 1 inch, derived from maps by Ogilby, 1675, printed for and sold by J. SENEX at the Globe in Salisbury-Court, Fleetstreet, 1719.
  For a later edition of these maps see -- Senex 1757
The strip maps in the Map Collection of Hampshire CC Museums Service are from both the 1719 and 1757 editions. Notes that relate to both editions of the road book may be repeated. Other notes may just appear at the more relevant date.
Some transcripts from Senex's Road Book from a private source are included here.
 
STRIP MAP FEATURES 1719-57
ROUTES IN HAMPSHIRE, 1719
TRANSCRIPTIONS FROM SENEX'S ROAD BOOK, 1719
PUBLISHING HISTORY & PLATE DIFFERENCES
REFERENCES
ITEMS in the Collection
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STRIP MAP FEATURES 1719-57
title cartouche    
image snip from map
Plain box, the sides curved to fit within the scrolls of the route maps. Note that only the first plate of a long road has a title cartouche giving the name of the road. The scrolls have decorative curls only at the bottom left and top right, and are otherwise plain, though gently curved. The title cartouche is curved to fit in between a pair of scrolls.

table of distances    
image snip from map
The title cartouche includes a shortlist of distances to prominent places, presumably from Cornhill, London. Eg, pl.52:-
The Road from LONDON to POOL in DORSET SHI. / Commencing at Alresford in ye Southampton Road Pl.54
Alresford .......... 60
WINCHESTER ......... 67
Rumsey ............. 78 3/4
Castle Malwood ..... 86 1/2
Ringwood ........... 96 1/2
Knaston ............ 104 1/4
Pool ............... 110 1/2
Direct horizontal distance 100 m.
With a branch from Pool to Lemington
Christ Church ...... 10 1/2
Lemington .......... 22
And also from Southampton to Winchester.
Note that this gives Poole three distances from London:-
110 1/2 by road by this route.
86 computed as marked by it on pl.52.
100 direct horizontal distance.
The computed distance is a customary distance whose method of reckoning is uncertain, and might be given in customary miles.

orientation    
compass rose    
up is destination    
image snip from map
Plain cross, fleur de lys marks north, a cross marks east.
The orientation of the route maps is 'up is forward', usually 'out from London', as you journey from town you look up to what is before you.
While the general bearing of the route can be taken from the compass the actual direction of a stretch of road is not so certain. The wiggles in the road are probably 'compressed' sideways to fit within the scrolls.
Senex's explanation has:-
The Cross upon each Part of the Road shews the four Cardinal Points of the Compass, that part of it marked whith (sic) a Flower de Lis every where pointing to the North, by which means the bearing of the Road is known, and by consequence when the Sun appears, the Hour of the Day tolerably well guessed at.
scale    
There is no scale line. The scale can be estimated by measuring road distances, thus:-
1 to 140000
2 miles to 1 inch

sea area    
The sea area by Souhampton is labelled:-
The Sea
coast line    
coast shaded    
image snip from map
The coast line, where it appears, at Southampton for example, is emphasised by shading.

coastal defence    
fortifications    
A polygonal artillery fort is clearly indicated at the bridge to Portsea Island, pl.30 mile 69.
image snip from map

rivers    
ponds    
bridges    
image snip from map
Rivers are shown by a wiggly line, usually with the river name. There is usually no reliable indication of ford v. bridges
Senex's explanation:-
Brooks, Rivers, Hills and Woods, are described by the common Characters used for them in Maps.
A bridge is shown by the river interrupting the road at pl.52 m.82:-
Oux bridge
image snip from map
over the River Blackwater 3 miles SW of Romsey.
A pond might be shown, with a shaded outline, eg pl.52 mile 77.
a Pond
image snip from map

relief    
hillocks    
Hills are indicated by lumpy hillocks on the way, sometimes besides the way. All hillocks are the same way up; the Ogilby convention shewing up and down slopes is not used. The hills are more scenic than Ogilby's conventional use of them as an indicator of hilly road. The road might go over a hill as at pl.30 mile 59;
image snip from map
perhaps with hills beside as well, pl.25 mile 61;
image snip from map
or beside hills as pl.32 m.73;
image snip from map
or over a ridge as pl.89 mile 35.
image snip from map

woods    
forests    
trees    
image snip from map
Trees are drawn in groups to indicate woods or forests; they do not seem to have been used randomly as decoration. A wood or forest might be named.
A lone tree might be drawn and named, eg:-
Halfway Oak
image snip from map
on pl.54 m.4 on the road from Southampton to Romsey.

parks    
image snip from map
shown by a ring of fence, eg pl.25 mile 60-61 outside Whitchurch, Hampshire.

county    
County boundaries are shown by a dotted line, with annotation, eg pl.54 m.53:-
enter Hamp Sh.
image snip from map
The county name is printed along the side of each scroll Senex says:-
The Name of the Countrey you travel in is every where engraved along the Side of the Scrole.
image snip from map

settlements    
streets    
Settlements on the route are drawn as blocks beside the road, indicating the size of the place and perhaps giving some idea of street layout; these settlements might not include the church which would have been there. A settlement off the route might be indicated by a drawing of a church - that is what would be visible from the route. An important house might be shown by a drawing of a house. Most places are named. Nor does typeface provide a reliable guide to the importance or size of the place. However: cities are named in block caps, larger towns are named in upright lettering, smaller places in italic - the curving of lettering around places sometimes makes it hard to be sure of the font posture. Generally:-
city     image snip from map
Areas of building; labelled in italic block caps; eg:-
WINCHESTER
(pl.52 mile 12)

town     image snip from map
Blocks along the road, plus a church; labelled in upright lowercase; eg:-
Alton
(pl.89 mile 53)

village     image snip from map
Blocks along the road, plus church; labelled in italic lowercase; eg:-
Milton
(pl.52 mile 15)
Off the road there is just a church; labelled in italic lowercase; eg:-
Charlton
image snip from map
(pl.30 mile 60)

hamlet     image snip from map
Single blocks beside the road; labelled in italic lowercase; eg:-
Borstwood
(pl.54 mile 76)

house     image snip from map
building; labelled, eg:-
Hursley lodge
(pl.52 m.74)

roads    
image snip from map
The road is the dominant feature of the route maps, up the middle of each scroll.
Senex's explanation:-
Each Road is supposed to be drawn on a long Role, Fillet, or Scrole, making several bendings backwards and forwards, on the forward returns of which the Road to be described is drawn.
image snip from map
Roads are drawn with two solid lines, one solid one dotted, or with two dotted lines, perhaps indicating fenced and unfenced roads.
image snip from map
Senex's explanation:-
The beginning of each Road or Plate is at the bottom on the Left Hand, from thence you proceed upwards, the Road being bounded either by two Parallel black Lines, which shews the Road there is to be enclosed or hedged in on each Side; or else by two Parallel pricked or dotted Lines, which denotes the Road there to be over an open Common: Or lastly by a pricked Line on one Side, and a black Line on the other, which intimates the Road there to be open on the pricked Line side, and hedged or bounded on the black Line side.
When you are come to the Top of the first Bend of the Scrole, you are then to begin again at the Bottom of the next return of it, and so go upwards as before; and the like of all the rest.
If the Road does not terminate in the first Map, it is continued through the second, third, &c. as the Figures denote in the Miles will easily direct.
...
The little openings on either hand the Road shew the going out of other Roads, from the Road there described, the Name against it telling you to what Place it goes.
Routes are linked from sheet to sheet. For example, pl.57 mile 48 a turning labelled:-
to Andover & the Lands end Pl.25.
image snip from map
or at the foot of a page, pl.52:-
From Romsey to Salisbury Pl.54.

road distances    
distances from    
London    
A dot in the road with a figure beside it gives the distance from London, presumably from Cornhill.
Also notice other distance notes, for example, at Southampton in pl.54 is printed 'Horizontal distance 71m'; the road distance is 78.
Senex's explanation:-
The black Dotts or Points placed in the Road, terminate the measured Miles, the Figures adjoined signify the Number from that Place, whence the Mensuration began.
Different distances from London, Senex:-
Beside the Numbers of measured Miles, you have at every noted City or Town the Number of computed Miles inserted near it; as from London to Oxford measures 55 Miles, when its computed Distance is but 47 com. (com. every where standing for computed.)
miscellaneous    


antiquities    
tumuli    
Some ancient monuments are marked. For example:-
Silbury hill
beside the road from London to Bath.
In Hampshire there are tumuli at Popham Beacons, pl.57 mile 56.
image snip from map

mills    
windmills    
paper mills    
pl.30 mile 61, a post mill at Charlton, Hampshire.
image snip from map
pl.52 mile 44 on the Wey just over the border from Farnham, Surrey.
Paper mill
image snip from map

schools    
pl.54 mile 50 at Alton
Free School
image snip from map
This is Eggar's School.

posts    
pl.54 mile 11 at Bluck on the Heath
a post
image snip from map

crosses    
pl.52 mile 94 has a cross by the side of the road
image snip from map

chapels    
pl.89 mile 42 shows the Holy Ghost Chapel
image snip from map

    
A variety of features might be marked, but probably not in any consistent way. I have noticed:-
a Coalpitt
pl.35 118 near Faringdon, Somerset
a Mill
pl.35 98.5 at Troubridg, Wiltshire
Lead mines

inns    
Inns are not systematically shown, perhaps the existence of this essential for travellers could be taken for granted.
Pl.52 52'2 at a junction, signs:-
to Skippords Inn

smithies    
Blacksmiths, or rather farriers, are not marked often. But: on at least one segment of a route there is
a Smith shop
carefully indicated in several places. This is on pl.35 in Somerset on the road from London to Bath and Wells, a smithy at Dunderton 113, Faringdon 118+, and Chewton Mendip 122; perhaps smithies were so rare hereabouts that Senex thought they had to be indicated, though the provision of a farrier is taken for granted elsewhere.

COM?
On pl.35 the towns are located by the road distance numbers, and also have another number by them with the word 'com.'. Senex refers to it elsewhere as short for "computed" miles. Ogilby used the term "Vulgar Computed Miles" to refer to the common or Old English mile. The ratio of Senex's two figures ranges between 1:1.20 and 1:1.24 so he too would appear to be using the term "computed" for the longer common miles, alongside the statute miles.
    com. distance
Chippenham   77 94+
Bath   87 108
Paulton   94 117
Wells   102 127+
Marlborough   62 75+
Devizes   72 89
Trowbridge   80 98
Chilcompton   91 112
Wells   96 120
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ROUTES IN HAMPSHIRE, 1719
 
Route diagram:-

The plates which concern Hampshire in volume 1 are pl.25, 26, 30, 32, 39, 51, 53; volume 2 of the cross roads has plates 81, 83 and 97.
pl.25 London to the Lands-End in Cornwall, 'Actually surveyed by a Wheel', miles 0-66; London; via Kingston upon Thames, Surrey; Staines, Middlesex; Bagshot, Surrey; enter Hampshire at Blackwater, via Hartfordbridge, Basingstoke, Whitchurch, to Andover, Hampshire.
pl.26 miles 66 to 141 from London; from Andover, via Middle Wallop, Hampshire; 'Lobcocks Corner', Salisbury, Wiltshire; into Dorset and Somerset.
FA1997.99   pl.30 London to Portsmouth, miles 0 to 73; London; Kingston upon Thames, Guildford, Godalming, Surrey; Liphook, Hampshire; across a corner of West Sussex; Petersfield, Horndean, Cosham, to Portsmouth, Hampshire.
FA1999.55   pl.32 London to Barnstable, miles 66 to 143; from Andover, via Monkston, Hampshire; via Amesbury, Wiltshire; into Somerset.
pl.39 London to Chichester, and branch from Midhurst to Winchester; from Guildford, via Godalming, Surrey, Midhurst, to Chichester, West Sussex; and miles 0- to 28+; Midhurst, West Sussex; via Petersfield, Cheriton, to Winchester, Hampshire.
pl.51 London to Southampton, continued to Salisbury, miles 29 to 78, then miles 0 to 25; from Bagshot, Surrey; across a corner of Hampshire; Farnham, Surrey; Alton, New Alresford, Twyford, to Southampton, Hampshire; and from Southampton, via Romsey, Hampshire; to Salisbury, Wiltshire.
pl.53 London to Weymouth, miles 48 to 122; from Basingstoke, via Sutton Scotney, Stockbridge, 'East Dean', Hampshire; Downton, Wiltshire; Cranborne, Dorchester, Weymouth, Dorset.
pl.81 the Road from Oxford to Chichester; from Oxford, Oxfordshire; through Newbury, Berkshire; to Kingsclere, Basingstoke, Alton and Petersfield, Hampshire; then to Chichester, West Sussex.
pl.83 the Road from Oxford to Salisbury; from Oxford, Oxfordshire; to Hungerford, Berkshire, across a corner of Hampshire at South Tidworth and Shipton Bellinger; to Salisbury, Wiltshire; and on to Poole, Dorset.
pl.97 from London to Poole, Dorset; from New Alresford through Winchester, Romsey and Ringwood, Hampshire; to Poole, Dorset; AND from Poole to Christchurch, Dorset; and on to Lymington, Hampshire; AND from Southampton to Winchester, Hampshire.
This pagination exactly matches the roads of John Ogilby of which this road book was intended to be a new version.
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TRANSCRIPTIONS FROM SENEX'S ROAD BOOK, 1719
These notes are made from a copy of Senex's road book, 1719, in a private collection and we are grateful to be allowed access. Additional notes are made from other volumes.
The book is half bound in leather, wxh=15x21cm; the spine labelled:-
OGILBY'S / ROADS / 1719
The title page of the first edition, volume 1, reads:-
An Actual / SURVEY / Of all the PRINCIPAL ROADS of / ENGLAND and WALES; / Described by One Hundred MAPS from Copper Plates. / On which are delineated / All the CITIES, TOWNS, VILLAGES, CHURCHES, HOUSES, and Places of Note / throughout each Road. / AS ALSO / Directions to the Curious Traveller what is worth observing throughout his Journey. / The whole described in the most easy and intelligible Manner. / First perform'd and publish'd by JOHN OGILBY, Esq; And now improved very / much corrected, and made portable by JOHN SENEX. / VOL. I. / Containing all the / Direct Roads from LONDON through ENGLAND and WALES. / in 54 PLATES. / LONDON: Printed for and sold by J. SENEX at the Globe in Salisbury-Court, Fleetstreet, 1719.
Volume 2 title page has:-
... / VOL. II. / Containing the Principal / Cross Roads from LONDON through ENGLAND and WALES. / In 46 PLATES. / ...
Later editions had slightly different title pages.
The dedication page (uncertain early edition):-
[coat of arms] / To the most Noble / JOHN Lord Marquis of Caernarvon. / These PLATES, containing both the direct Roads from London as also / the principal cross Roads through England and Wales are most / humbly inscribed by / His Lordship's / Most Obedient Servant / John Senex.
There is an introductory passage:-
The EXPLANATION
THIS Volume is divided into two Parts, each being disposed in an Alphabetical Order.
In the first Part are contain'd all the direct Independent Roads from London, comprised in XIV Itineraries, and XXXI Plates.
In the second Part are contain'd all the direct Roads call'd Dependents, being such as at several Distances from London, branch out of the former Independents, of which there are XVII Itineraries, comprised in XXIII Plates.
Each Road is supposed to be drawn on a long Role, Fillet, or Scrole, making several bendings backwards and forwards, on the forward returns of which the Road to be described is drawn.
The beginning of each Road or Plate is at the bottom on the Left Hand, from thence you proceed upwards, the Road being bounded either by two Parallel black Lines, which shews the Road there is to be enclosed or hedged in on each Side; or else by two Parallel pricked or dotted Lines, which denotes the Road there to be over an open Common: Or lastly by a pricked Line on one Side, and a black Line on the other, which intimates the Road there to be open on the pricked Line side, and hedged or bounded on the black Line side.
When you are come to the Top of the first Bend of the Scrole, you are then to begin again at the Bottom of the next return of it, and so go upwards as before; and the like of all the rest.
If the Road does not terminate in the first Map, it is continued through the second, third, &c. as the Figures denote in the Miles will easily direct.
The black Dotts or Points placed in the Road, terminate the measured Miles, the Figures adjoined signify the Number from that Place, whence the Mensuration began.
Beside the Numbers of measured Miles, you have at every noted City or Town the Number of computed Miles inserted near it; as from London to Oxford measures 55 Miles, when its computed Distance is but 47 com. (com. every where standing for computed.)
The little openings on either hand the Road shew the going out of other Roads, from the Road there described, the Name against it telling you to what Place it goes.
The Cross upon each Part of the Road shews the four Cardinal Points of the Compass, that part of it marked whith (sic) a Flower de Lis every where pointing to the North, by which means the bearing of the Road is known, and by consequence when the Sun appears, the Hour of the Day tolerably well guessed at.
The Name of the Countrey you travel in is every where engraved along the Side of the Scrole.
Brooks, Rivers, Hills and Woods, are described by the common Characters used for them in Maps.
Note that only the first plate of a long road has a title cartouche giving the name of the road. The scrolls have decorative curls only at the bottom left and top right, and are otherwise plain, though gently curved. The title cartouche is curved to fit in between a pair of scrolls.
Each plate has a plate number at the bottom right.

HAMPSHIRE PLATE HEADINGS (vol.1)
plate.25    
THE ROAD from LONDON to the LANDS-END / IN CORNWALL. Actually Surveyed by a Wheel / ...
I. Senex sculpt.
plate.30    
The ROAD from LONDON to PORTSMOUTH / in HAMPSHIRE ...
plate.32    
The ROAD from LONDON to BARNSTABLE / in DEVONSHIRE ...
plate.39    
The ROAD from LONDON to CHICHESTER / With a Branch from Midhurst to WINCHESTER ...
plate.51    
The ROAD from LONDON to SOUTHAMPTON / continued to SALISBURY ...
plate.53    
THE ROAD from LONDON to WEYMOUTH in / DORSETSHIRE ...
 
INDEXES
The road book has indexes in each volume; volume 1 has:-
A TABLE of the Cities, Principal / Corporation and Market Towns, &c. / contained in this Volume, with the / Roads and Plates to which they belong.
The whole country only gets about 275 entries. This is the index for volume 1 only; I haven't analysed what should and shouldn't be in this index, but Romsey in Winchester out seems wrong. The entries for Hampshire are:-
       
Alton Southampton   51
Alresford Southampton   51
Andover Lands-End   27
Basingstoke Lands-End   25
Petersfield Portsmouth   30
Portsmouth Portsmouth   30
Rumsey Southampton   51
Southampton Southampton   51
Whitechurch Lands-End   25
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PUBLISHING HISTORY & PLATE DIFFERENCES
There were many editions.

Published in 'An Actual SURVEY of all the PRINCIPAL ROADS of ENGLAND and WALES; Described by One Hundred MAPS from Copper Plates. On which are delineated All the CITIES, TOWNS, VILLAGES, CHURCHES, HOUSES, and Places of Note throughout each Road. As ALSO Directions to the Curious Traveller what is worth observing throughout his Journey: The whole described in the most easy and intelligible Manner. First perform'd and publish'd by JOHN OGILBY, Esq; And now improved, very much corrected, and made portable by JOHN SENEX. VOL. I. Containing all the Direct Roads from LONDON through ENGLAND and WALES. in 54 PLATES. LONDON: Printed for and sold by J. SENEX at the Globe in Salisbury-Court, Fleetstreet, 1719.'
There are title pages and a few pages of text; the road book size is 15x21cm and may well be labelled on the spine as 'Ogilby's Roads 1719'; the maps are reduced from Ogilby's strip maps of 1675, they are numbered bottom right and are plain on the reverse.

Published in a third edition '... London: Printed for & sold by M. Senex, at the Globe agst St. Dunstans Church Fleetstreet.' an advertisement within includes '... by the late John Senex & continued to be sold by His Widow M. Senex, ...' 1742.
The maps are unchanged from the 1719 edition; but it is strongly suspected that plate numbering varies. In at least one edition pl.37 is the number on the route of pl.39, for example.

Published in 'The Roads through England delineated or, Ogilby's-Survey, Revised, Improved, and Reduced to a Size portable for the Pocket. By John Senex F.R.S. Being an Actual Survey of all the Principal Roads of England and Wales, Distinctly laid down on one hundred & one Copper Plates ... Printed for John Bowles and Son at the Black Horse in Cornhill London. 1757.'
The plate numbering in later editions of Senex is different, like this arrangement from 1757:-
   
1757 1719
plate.25 plate.25
plate.26 plate.26
plate.30 plate.30
plate.32 plate.32
plate.40 plate.39
plate.52 plate.97
plate.54 plate.51
plate.57 plate.53
plate.89 plate.81
plate.91 plate.83
 
There are French editions of Senex's maps which are described under Jeffery 1775.
 
SUMMARY OF PLATE DIFFERENCES
Senex 1719    
roads on scrolls
plain on reverse, ie single sided
paginated similarly to Ogilby
plate numbers bottom right

Senex 1742    
maps as 1719

Senex 1757    
roads on scrolls
double sided, printed obv and rev
paginated similarly to Ogilby; but pl.42 is new
plate numbers top left and top right
references to connecting plates at foot of page
roads on scrolls, even less ornate
different pagination

Senex 1770    
as 1767

Senex 1775    
roads in boxes not scrolls
imprint Sayer and Bennett 1775

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REFERENCES
Senex, John: 1719: Actual Survey of all the Principal Roads of England and Wales: (London)
Senex, John: 1742: Actual Survey of all the Principal Roads of England and Wales: Senex, M (London)
Senex, John: 1757: Roads through England Delineated & Ogilby's Survey, Revised, Improved, and Reduced: Bowles, John and Son (London)
also see:- 
  related Map Group -- Ogilby 1675
  related Map Group -- Senex 1757
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ITEMS  in HMCMS Map Collection   (scanned item in bold)
  HMCMS:FA1997.99 -- strip map (pl.30)
  HMCMS:FA1999.55 -- strip map (pl.32)
  HMCMS:FA2000.49 -- descriptive text
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