Old Hampshire Mapped

Introduction

Blome's Hampshire 1673
A Mapp of Hantshire
These notes are made from a hand coloured engraving, Richard Blome's Mapp of Hantshire ie Hampshire, with the Isle of Wight, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, which was part of:-
Britannia: or, A Geographical Description of the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, with the Isles and Territories thereto belonging. And for The better perfecting the said Work, there is added an Alphabetical Table of the Names, Titles, and Seats of the Nobility and Gentry that each County of England and Wales is, or lately was, enobled with. Illustrated with a Map of each County of England, besides several General ones. The like never before Published. London, Printed by Tho. Roycroft for the Undertaker, Richard Blome. MDCLXXIII.
- published 1673. The map was based on Speed's maps of 1611. The map used is in the Map Collection of Hampshire CC Museums Service, item HMCMS:FA1991.9.
Bloome was an entrepreneur, skilled in attracting sponsors for his publications; he even used interchangeable coats of arms for different editions of his maps; this map is dedicated to Charles, Lord St John.
Printed lower right is a drape cartouche with a crest above:-
To the Rt. Honl. Charles Ld. St. Ion, Son & Heire To the Rt. Honl. Iohn Ld. Marquis of Winchester. Ld. Lieutenant of the County of Hanshire This Mapp is humbly Dedicated by Ric:Blome.
Richard Blome was the first to finance a series of county maps by subscription.

This study concentrates upon what can be seen from the map; studies of the background of county mapping in England, and map makers have been published elsewhere.
Richard Blome

 Richard Blome has been described as a publisher and compiler, and a map and book seller, etc. He was made free of the Stationer's Company, London, in 1660, and was in business to his death, 1705. In 1672-73 his address was:-
Lodging at Mr Kid's an Oyl-shop at the Corner of Licoln's-Inn-Fields, near the New Market
or:-
at the corner of Lincoln's-Inn-Fields in Sheffield Street near Clare Market
Advertising in July 1672 for his forthcoming Description of His Majesties Dominions he asks that all who have subscriptions not yet turned in, should present:-
... true Directions for graving their Names, Titles, Seats, and paternal Coats of Arms, to such maps as they are related, and by them made choice of, together with their first payments ...
which is repeated March 1672/73.

His topographical works include:-
  • 1670 - Geographical description of the four parts of the World
  • 1672 - Description of the Island of Jamaica
  • 1673 - Britannia: or a Geographical Description of the Kingdom of England, Scotland and Ireland
  • 1681, 11685 - Speed's Maps Epitomised; and the maps used in Thomas Taylor's England Eactly described, 1715
  • 1682, 1693 - Cosmography and Geography
  • 1686 - View of the English Acquisitions in Guinea and the East Indies
  • 1687 - Present State of his Majesties Isles and Territories in America
  • - plans of wards and parishes in London
Much of his work is pirated, and judged by some to be of poor quality. He was nevertheless adroit at raising subscriptions. Bishop Nicolson described his Britannia, in which the 1673 map was published, as A most entire piece of theft out of Camden and Speed Richard Gough said it was a
most notorious piece of plagiarism.
Other contemporary comments are equally critical:-
... a published and compiler of some celebrity, who, by the aid of subscriptions adroitly levied, issued many splendid works'

scribbled and transcribed from Camden's Britannia and Speed's Maps ... gets a livelihood by bold practices ... progging tricks in employing necessitous persons to write ...'

References Blome, Richard: 1677: Britannia & Geographical Description of the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland ...: Wright, John (London)

Clapp, Sarah L: 1932=1933: Subscription Enterprises of John Ogilby and Richard Blome: Modern Philology (Chicago, United States): vol.30: pp.365-379

Kennedy, C: 1958: Gentleman's Recreation, by Richard Blome: (London)

Taylor, E G R: 1937: Robert Hooke and the Cartographical Projects of the Late Seventeenth Century, 1666-1696: Geographical Journal: vol.90: pp.529-40

Tyacke, Sarah: 1978: London map Sellers 1660-1720: Map Collector Publications (Tring, Hertfordshire):: ISBN 0 906430 00 3

Blome's Hampshire 1673, contents
General index
Old Hampshire Mapped
Map HMCMS:FA1991.9