1656 Map of Birmingham and District.

[Thylacine]

In 1656 William Dugdale (pictured below left) published his Antiquities of Warwickshire Illustrated; From Records, Leiger-Books, Manuscripts, Charters, Evidences, Tombes, and Armes: Beautified With Maps, Prospects and Portraictures (London: by Thomas Warren). We are fortunate indeed to have access to this large and detailed work, through an e-text at archive.org (just click on the book title). A copy of this book (in very good condition) was offered recently by a Midlands bookseller for £2,170.

Starting on page 636 is Dugdale's description of Hemlingford Hundred, which includes "Bermingham" (page 655) and surrounding places (for example Sutton Coldfield on page 663). The Hemlingford section includes "The Mapp of Hemlingford Hundred" (below right: click to magnify, and then click twice more to magnify further).

Dugdale's Antiquities of Warwickshire is full of historical, geographical and genealogical details, and contains numerous fascinating illustrations. If studied with a critical eye, it should prove to be a valuable source for historical research on Birmingham and the Midlands. His map of Warwickshire (facing page 1), which also includes "Bermingham", is interesting to compare with the 1612 Warwickshire map (from Michael Drayton's Poly-Olbion) in which Birmingham doesn't appear.

 

[Aidan]

That's a fantastic find Thylacine. And the earliest non-conjectural map of Birmingham and environs that I have seen.

The detail in Dugdale's book is fantastic and although I have (still) only had a quick browse so far it will undoubtedly repay detailed reading as there is a section on each village inc Edgbaston, Aston etc.

The picture illustrating Birmingham is "The Prospect of Birmingham from Ravenhurst (near London Road) on the South East part of Town" by Wenceslaus (Wenzel) Hollar Bohemus (July 13, 1607 - March 25, 1677) of which more here https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=31626

 

[Lynda Harvey]

I do so love these old maps. I find them quite fascinating. Thank you for the info.
Lynda

 

[Pomgolian]

I just love the old names of the areas on that map... working what is where..

 

[Thylacine]

Thanks everyone! Aidan, I notice from the thread you linked to that you have already discovered the marvellous Dugdale e-text. Sorry about that!

Hollar was also the engraver of the rather fine Dugdale portrait attached in post #1, but I'm not sure yet who the original artist was (watch this space).

 

[chocks2]

Fantastic Map Thylacine. Thanks for sharing it with us. Well worth seeing.

Chocks

 

[Aidan]

Thanks everyone! Aidan, I notice from the thread you linked to that you have already discovered the marvellous Dugdale e-text. Sorry about that!

Hollar was also the engraver of the rather fine Dugdale portrait attached in post #1, but I'm not sure yet who the original artist was (watch this space).

No problem at all, I had found the link but had got diverted. This excellent threads has shone a light onto it for which I am grateful.

Hollar was certainly a special engraver and it would be interesting to tie down whether he or another was the artist and if the other engravings (and map) are also by him.

I lied when I said it was the earliest non-conjectural map of Birmingham as I think I have previously posted this 1330 map of Gough before but can't find it for some reason. Birmingham is in the middle shown as the Priory (Square) within the Forest of Arden on the road between between Lichfield (left) and Droitwich (right) Priories. What I should have said is that the Dugdale map is the earliest map of Birmingham that has useful detail...(am hoping someone proves me wrong of course)...

 

[Thylacine]

I've just had a close look at the frontispiece portrait of Dugdale. The small print reads: "Wenceslaus Hollar delin: et sculpsit:", which implies that Václav Hollar was both artist and engraver.

... I have previously posted this 1330 map of Gough ...

The 14th century Gough Map (which lives at the Bodeian Library in Oxford) is available on line here, but the interface is fairly primitive. The site links to another which is said to have a facility "to extract geographical information on each of the map’s features", but alas it doesn't work for me.

On the extract attached above by Aidan, some version of the name "Birmingham" can be made out above the diagram of the Priory (north is to the left).