Leicestershire 1st edition by Robert Morden

Code: 54112

Date: 1695

1st.Edition. Copper engraving with later, superb hand colouring Overall size : 42.9cms x 39.1cms . Engraved size : 416mm.x 358 mm. Title in decorative cartouche at top left, scales of distance bottom left. Centre fold as issued.  Two tiny worm holes either side of centrefold at extreme bottom of map else very good condition.
Robert Morden died in 1703, so this is the only edition of his most famous maps that were published in his lifetime.  These maps are the first county maps to show roads ( based on Ogilby’s road maps ) and show three scales representing great, middle and small miles as different scales were used in different parts of the country.    Robert Morden based his maps on manuscript sources plus the surveys of Ogilby and Morgan, Seller and the coastal charts of Greenville Collins. His major innovation was  showing longitudes measured from the meridian of St. Paul's Cathedral given in the form of time in minutes at the top of the map in Roman numerals and at the bottom in degrees. This was done to clarify local times that were taken from the sun as there was no national standard time.