Cambridgeshire Old County Map by John Speed

Speed's very elaborate map of 1611 of the County of Cambridge is bordered by coats of arms of the various Cambridge Colleges and of Earls of Cambridge. There is a ground plan of Cambridge Town with a key to sites. As well as very decorative title panels the map shows illustrations of four academics. The county appears sparsely inhabited in the North around the Isle of Ely. This was due to the constant flooding in that area.

John Speed, a tailor's son from Cheshire is, perhaps, the most famous of British cartographers and one of the earliest. Whilst in his 50's, aided by his patron, Sir Fulke Greville, he produced "The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain", a book of county maps to accompany a history of Great Britain.

All of the John Speed maps in the mapseeker collection have been painstakingly reproduced working directly from antique originals and hand painted to bring out the finest colour detail before scanning. Available in all product sizes they look most handsome framed and displayed