The first five editions of Camden's successful history and topography of Britain were without maps, but for the sixth edition of 1607 the engravers William Hole and William Kip were commissioned to provide a set of maps of the counties of England and Wales, plus 3 general maps of the countries comprising the new "United Kingdom". These maps were retained for the subsequent 1610 and 1637 editions. They are based on the earlier work of Saxton, Norden, Smith and Owen. This attractively coloured example is from the 1637 edition. Minor repair to lower centrefold and a few marginal nicks, all outside the printed area.

Joseph Ellis's English Atlas was an entry into the market for small county atlases by its publishers Robert Sayer and Carington Bowles. The county maps were closely based upon those drawn by Thomas Kitchin for the 1763 topographical work England Illustrated, the major difference being the attractive vignettes which replaced Kitchin's rococco cartouches. The atlas was first published in 1765, and soon became a commercial success, running to many later editions. It was promoted as a travelling atlas, and made available in various formats. These included a version with the maps printed back to back on each page, as with this example from a 1766 edition which has a map of Somerset on the reverse.

Camden's Britannia was first published in 1586. County maps by Kip and Hole were first added in 1607, being supplanted by those of Robert Morden for the 5 editions from 1695 to 1772. In 1789 a new translation of the work by Richard Gough was published by T. Payne and G. & J. Robinson with updated and modernised maps by John Cary. The same maps were also later used in Cary's New British Atlas of 1805. They can be found uncoloured, with outline colour and with full wash colour. This example is from the second Gough edition of Britannia, published in 1806, and the maps are in full wash colour - the most desirable state. Close trimmed to right and left borders (within left hand border) to fit publication. A few repaired nicks and nibbles to margins and a short repaired tear along a fold. Folded to fit the format of the volume.

This detailed and well engraved map was one of a set first published around 1812-14 by Robert Rowe, who was probably also their draftsman and engraver. The maps were initially sold singly in folding format until their collective issue in 1816 as The English Atlas. The plates were later acquired by Henry Teesdale, who amended titles and imprints and re-issued the work as the New British Atlas in 1829, with several re-issues up to 1842. The plates were later acquired and used by H.G. Collins and then by G. Philip and Son, who both used them as the base for lithographic transfers for a variety of works up to c1860. This example is from the 1830 second edition of Teesdale's atlas. Original wash colour.

These maps were first published by Fullarton and Co. in 1833 in James Bell's New and Comprehensive Gazetteer of England and Wales which was re-issued three times in the 1830's. They were subsequently re-published (again by Fullarton) in 1840 in The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales, with several further re-issues up to 1849. The maps were engraved on steel and sometimes bear the name of the engraver and sometimes not. This example is from the Parliamentary Gazetteer of 1847 and lacks an engraver's signature.

Thomas Moule's antiquarian leanings are evident in this series of highly decorative county maps - a stylistic throwback in an age when cartographic work had become much plainer and more utilitarian. The maps were engraved by W. Smollinger, J. Bingley and J. Dower, and first appeared in Moule's English Counties Delineated, a partwork with text issued from 1830-32. They were subsequently made available as a complete work in 1837 under the same title, and were later re-issued in Barclay's Universal English Dictionary between 1842 and 1852. This latter work ran to several editions and the maps were often updated between editions to show the latest growth of the railway network. This example is from an edition of Barclay's Dictionary. Modern colour. Supplied mounted.

These maps first appeared in Rowe's English Atlas of 1816, being subsequently acquired by a succession of later publishers and used in a variety of their works. They were modified and updated during this time. This example is the second lithographic transfer for Clarke's British Gazetteer, published in 1852 by H.G. Collins. The map was folded and trimmed just within bottom right hand border to fit the volume, and has been re-margined with matching, old paper to facilitate mounting if so desired.

James Emslie was the engraver of the maps for Reynold's Travelling Atlas of England, first published in 1848. In 1860 the maps were adapted to show geological formations and first appeared under the title Reynold's Geological Atlas of Great Britain. Later editions of Reynold's Geological Atlas were by lithographic transfer, and with the maps coloured. This example is from an edition of c1890-1900, as it bears the imprint of Edward Stanford, who took over publication from Reynolds. Original printed colour.

This was one of a set of county maps engraved by John Lodge and issued between 1787 and 1790 in The Political Magazine, and Parliamentary, Naval, Military and Literary Journal, published initially by John Murray, and later by R. Butters. The maps were subsequently collected together and re-issued as an atlas (without title page) around 1795. For this atlas edition the imprint with the publication date and engraver's and publisher's signatures was removed from the maps. This example is from the atlas edition. The maps are well engraved in the plainer style then coming into vogue. They are uncommon, and sought by collectors. A small hole just above the "B" of Bishop's Castle.

Samuel Lewis first published his Dictionary in 1831, and there were a number of further editions up to 1849. They contained a set of county maps drawn by R. Creighton and engraved by J. & C. Walker. In some editions the maps were interspersed with the text, and in other cases they were combined as a separate atlas volume. This example is from the editions of 1840 or later, so distinguished by the notes on Poor Law Unions added above the top border to replace previous electoral notes. Original outline colour.

The text for this French topographical work on Britain was written by George Depping, the maps being drawn by Aristide Perrot and engraved by A. Migneret. It was first published in 1824, with subsequent editions in 1828 and 1835. The maps often cover more than one county as in this example which also includes Worcestershire and Staffordshire. The surrounding decorative border shows the typical produce and wares of the counties. Original outline colour

This work was published in 1835 as a companion volume to Lewis's Topographic Dictionary. It contains county and borough maps, drawn by R. Creighton and engaved by J.& C. Walker, and was designed to show the electoral and boundary changes effected by the 1832 Reform Act. There were 2 issues of the work in 1835 and 1840, this example of the county map being from the 1835 first edition. Original outline colour.

This map formed part of a Parliamentary Report, submitted in December 1831, showing proposed changes to electoral arrangements and boundaries which were subsequently enacted in the 1832 Reform Act. The report and maps were subsequently published for public consumption in 1832. Dawson was a Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers charged with survey and production of maps to illustrate the changes.

First published in parts between 1863 and 1868, the completed National Gazetteer went on sale from 1868. The maps, which are produced by litho transfer from an intaglio plate, are amongst the earliest to feature printed colour. There were a number of later editions (some under different titles) up to 1886. Colouring became more sophisticated on these later editions. This example of the Shropshire map is from its first atlas issue in 1868.

This map first appeared in 1767 in the Atlas Anglicanus, published by Thomas Kitchin with maps engraved by Emanuel and Thomas Bowen. The maps copied the Large English Atlas in style, with rococo cartouches, and topographical notes surrounding the maps. The maps for the Atlas Anglicanus were first issued in monthly partworks between 1767 and 1768 before the complete atlas followed in 1768. Both Bowens are jointly cited as cartographers of the first state Shropshire map. There was a second edition of the atlas in c1777, before the plates passed to Carington Bowles and were updated and re-issued as Bowles' New Medium English Atlas in 1785. On Bowles' death the plates passed to his business successors, trading as Bowles and Carver, who re-issued the atlas sometime after 1793 with their own imprint as proprietors on individual maps. The Atlas Anglicanus was not a commercial success and maps from it are not commonly found. This example is from the atlas's final issue post 1793. Original colour.

This entry into the popular market for miniature atlases and road books was first published by Samuel Leigh in 1820 under the title Leigh's New Pocket Atlas of England and Wales. The maps were engraved by Sidney Hall. There were several later editions up to 1843, under slightly changed titles and imprints (which changed to M.A. Leigh some time in 1831). This example dates from between 1820 and 1831.

Originally intended as volume 3 of a larger cartographic project (The English Atlas), Richard Blome's county atlas, Britannia, was published alone in 1673. A rare second edition was issued in 1677. The Shropshire map is dedicated to Francis Lord Newport, Baron of High Ercall and Lord Lieutenant of the County.

Shrewsbury Castle. The Antiquities of England and Wales was the product of Alexander Hogg who was well known as a partwork publisher. Under the claimed authorship of Henry Boswell it was issued serially from c1787-9, and subsequently made available as a complete work. The format was typically 2 (though sometimes up to 6) prints to a page, with one or two accompanying pages of descriptive text on each pair of subjects. It also included the set of English county maps by Thomas Kitchin first used in the London Magazine from 1747-54. Shrewsbury Castle is of Norman origin, being constructed by Roger de Montgomery in c1070. Much of the original structure was demolished and rebuilt around 1300. From 1663 it served as a private residence, until it was bought and gifted to the Corporation of Shrewsbury in 1924. Today it houses the Regimental Museum of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry, and is open to the public. This print was engraved by Lowry. A few spots.

Acton Burnell Castle. The Antiquities of England and Wales was the product of Alexander Hogg who was well known as a partwork publisher. Under the claimed authorship of Henry Boswell it was issued serially from c1787-9, and subsequently made available as a complete work. The format was typically 2 (though sometimes up to 6) prints to a page, with one or two accompanying pages of descriptive text on each pair of subjects. It also included the set of English county maps by Thomas Kitchin first used in the London Magazine from 1747-54. The village of Acton Birnell is 9 miles SE of Shrewsbury. By 1283 it contained a Manor House belonging to Robert Burnell, Bishop of Bath and Wells, and was the site of an early Parliament convened by King Edward I. From 1284-93, the house was fortified by licence of the King. Over succeeding centuries the property passed through the hands of several families, but fell gradually into decay, and many of the buildings had been demolished by c1650. The ruins of the manor house, and gables of its great barn still survive in the care of English Heritage, who provide access without charge. This print was engraved by Eastgate. A few light spots.