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Sweeping Plan of Elizabethan London
London.
VERTUE, G./ AGAS, R. (?) [London, 1560/ 1737]
Civitatis Londinum Ani Dni Circiter MDLX./ Londinum Antiqua This plan shews the ancient extent of the famous Cities of London and Westminster as it was near the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elisabeth… Vertue, Soc. Antiq. Lond. Excudit 1737.
27 x 75 inches
Eight engraved sheets joined & archivally mounted on new linen.
A large, highly detailed re-creation of Elizabethan London. As is explained below, although this work was actually published in the 18th century, it is still one of only three known printed depictions of London of the 16th century. It captures the city as it was developing beyond its original walls but with farms and pastures still much in evidence nearby. Deer can still be seen prancing in St. James Park. The major roads of entry to city are shown and named, many of which are now well known thoroughfares within the city. Many streets shown in the plan also bear names familiar to us. Much of the city of London’s wall is still intact, and the Tower complex is well detailed. At the very lower left is Westminster Abbey, and just to the north is Scotland Yard, which contains a curious, smoking, dome structure, perhaps for the heating a tar for caulking ships. St. Paul’s Cathedral is shown without a steeple, which fell in 1561, offering some corroboration to Vertue’s 1560 date as the time depicted by the plan. Bear and bull baiting rings can be seen in the plan on the south bank of the Thames across from the city.
Although produced in the 18th century, this work was based on an extremely rare, 16th century plan, known now, according to Howgego, in just three examples. In fact, the original, attributed to Ralph Agas by Vertue on this plan, is referred to as being of “great Scarcity” in the title of this map. There is some doubt as to whether Agas was the maker of the original plan, as Vertue is the sole source for that attribution. Howgego states that the eight sheets that make up this plan were engraved in pewter, a metal very rarely used in the production of maps. George Vertue, who indentified himself as an antiquarian on this work, first exhibited this plan at the Society of Antiquaries in London on March 21, 1737.
Howgego, J. Printed Map of London, no. 8, pp. 10-12. |
