The County Maps of Old England

by Thomas Moule, Roderick Barron (Introduction)

The County Maps of Old England

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, History, Maps

128 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1990

About the author

Thomas Moule (1784 – January 1851) was an English antiquarian, writer on heraldry, and map-maker. He is best known for his popular and highly decorated county maps of England, steel-engraved and first published separately between 1830 and 1832.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting diversion - a series of reprints of classic maps from around the 1830s. For anyone has an interest in classic English geography as well as trying to recognise places you may know this was a fun diversion for an afternoon.

There is little more here than a description of the various counties as they appeared at the time - true there were also some historical facts but really it is the artwork of the maps that really stole the show.

As is the case with many books it is the introduction that really is the start off the book both explaining the project that brought these maps back in to the print but also some details (and here I will admit my knowledge of history is woeful) that gave these maps such huge importance.

[P.J. MacNamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not entirely sure this is the place to mention astrology, but it's a fact that people with a lot of Virgo on their chart (that would be me,) have a thing for non-fiction books, and they often have a thing for maps too. Here we are catering to both.

I love maps in general. Maps of all kinds. Ancient and modern. Political or geographical. I could stare at them and marvel for hours and hours and hours. I also have a deep and enduring love for what I consider to be beautiful things. And I love old things too. Old photos, antiques, antiquarian books....you name it. So here we are at the Clapham Junction of all that with a beautiful book full of old maps. What could be more perfect?

I have a large framed print of my own county (Cheshire) on the wall about 15 feet from where I'm sat right now. It's the same one included in this book, I think. And I have two beautiful, ancient, shiny gold-effect framed maps hanging up in my bedroom. 17th Century, I think. One is a map of the world, as shown in two circles, side by side. The other is the British Isles. I bought them as a matching pair from a stall on Petticoat Lane Market in London back in the mid-90s. They are usually the last things I see before I drop off to sleep. The world has never looked so beautiful.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

More research for a print cartography project I am working on. The 1990 edition Thomas Moule's County Maps of Old England pairs the original 1830 collection of 56 maps of English counties and cities with descriptive text from Barclay's Complete and Universal English Dictionary (1842). These short text descriptions are at once informative and charming.

DORCHESTER
It is a town of great antiquity, and stands by the river Frome. The houses are well built, and it has three handsome streets. It is a corporate and assize town. It has but little trade. It is 120 miles from London. Markets, Wednesday and Saturday. Population, 3249.

Moule's maps balance high topographic detail with a painterly, almost whimsical, graphical style. The result is a beautiful and comprehensive cartographic snapshot of England in the early 19th century. Incredible.

[JoJo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is great to see how the land looked back then, beautifully drawn with interesting supporting text