Oxford Lecture on maps
Highland_Piper
Surveyor
I just had to share this. I went to a lecture at Exeter College in Oxford today titled "From Gough to Google" by John Leighfield (creator of Get Mapping an aerial photography and mapping product business). The lecture was great and Mr. Leighfield brought in a few of his maps from his extensive collection.
All the maps where of Oxford or Oxfordshire and where original prints.
(I should have taken notes on the dates of all the maps but I fear I did not)
Many Ordnance Survey maps from 1800's on which are still nice to look at.
He even had a 1973 KGB (yes that KGB) map of Oxford which was VERY accurate and noted things such as Electrical and water controls and other such non-touristy things.
Mr. Leighfield also had several old Atlas books, and travel books which I unfortunately did not get to look at, some where called "The Miniature Speed" which are Speed maps made very small and bound in a book that included travel distances.
Great lecture, I learned many things that I did not know before such as most of Saxton, Speed, etc. maps are remakes of Agas maps so they (Saxton and Speed) did not even re-survey the area (Although the town maps Speed did survey himself). Sometimes town spellings where done wrong so you could tell who copied from whom by tracing the spelling errors. The example given was the village Ifley near Oxford which on many maps is spelt Isley.
In one of John Speeds maps he noticed that there was a picture of a town with no name, he wrote a note "Quaere" which is Latin for ask, meaning he was going to ask later to find out the towns name. Well he forgot and the town was labelled Quaere on his maps and consequently every one who copied from him until much later when the error was spotted and corrected!
It was an hour worth my time!!
All the maps where of Oxford or Oxfordshire and where original prints.
(I should have taken notes on the dates of all the maps but I fear I did not)
Christoper Saxton 1574 -
Amazing detail! It is thought the maps where painted by children, yeah Cartography sweat shops!Saxton/Hole 1607 -
Another lovely map, much cleaner than the Saxton and I dare say even the John Speed map!John Speed 1611-
This map of Oxfordshire was Beautiful! Lovely detail in the borders with the college heraldry and a city map of Oxford.John Ogilby 1675-
Makes me want that May Annual right now! Great road maps! The background was of a ribbon that wrapped top to bottom left to right with the road drawn on the ribbons (not sure if I'm explaining it properly) I was so glad to be able to see it in person!Dr. Robert Plot 1676 -
A bit over done on the Heraldry (sponsorship) but an interesting mapMany Ordnance Survey maps from 1800's on which are still nice to look at.
He even had a 1973 KGB (yes that KGB) map of Oxford which was VERY accurate and noted things such as Electrical and water controls and other such non-touristy things.
Mr. Leighfield also had several old Atlas books, and travel books which I unfortunately did not get to look at, some where called "The Miniature Speed" which are Speed maps made very small and bound in a book that included travel distances.
Great lecture, I learned many things that I did not know before such as most of Saxton, Speed, etc. maps are remakes of Agas maps so they (Saxton and Speed) did not even re-survey the area (Although the town maps Speed did survey himself). Sometimes town spellings where done wrong so you could tell who copied from whom by tracing the spelling errors. The example given was the village Ifley near Oxford which on many maps is spelt Isley.
In one of John Speeds maps he noticed that there was a picture of a town with no name, he wrote a note "Quaere" which is Latin for ask, meaning he was going to ask later to find out the towns name. Well he forgot and the town was labelled Quaere on his maps and consequently every one who copied from him until much later when the error was spotted and corrected!
It was an hour worth my time!!
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