240 



CHRISTOPHER SAXTON, DRAUGHTSMAN OF 

 THE OLDEST KNOWN MAP OF ESSEX. 



By JOHN AVERY, C.A. 



[Read December 17th, 1898.] 



At the meeting above referred to, Mr. Avery exhibited a very fine copy of 

 a map of Essex, supposed to be the oldest in existence, dated 1576, 

 and made some remarks on Saxton's life and works, which are embodied in 

 the following notes. The next oldest map is probably that left in M.S. by 

 John Norden, 1594, a. facsimile copy of which was, by the kindness of Mr. 

 Winstone, presented to our readers with Volume I. of the Essex Naturalist. 

 This was not, however, a.ciua.lly published until 1840. In the same volume Mr. 

 Winstone gave a reproduction of Robert Morden's map, 1695, being one of 

 the series of maps of the Counties of England given in Gibson's edition of 

 Camden's Brita}iHia. — Ed.] 



Christopher Saxton, topographical draughtsman, to whom 

 we are indebted for the first maps of the counties in England and 

 Wales, was born of an old Yorkshire family at Tingley in Mosley 

 Hundred, near Leeds. He is said to have been partly educated 

 at Cambridge, but at what College is not known. He was 

 attached to the household of Thomas Seckford, Esq., Master of 

 the Requests to Queen Elizabeth and Master of the Court of 

 Wards. At Seckford's instigation and expense and with the 

 authority of Queen Elizabeth, Saxton undertook to survey and 

 draw careful maps of every county in England and Wales, and 

 for this purpose spent nine years in travelling over the whole 

 Kingdom. This was the first survey of the English Counties, 

 and all subsequent maps of the period were based upon them. 

 Seckford obtained for Saxton from the Privy Council special 

 facilities " to be assisted in all places where he shall come for the 

 view of such places to describe certein counties in cartes, being 

 thereunto appointed by her Majestie's bill under her signet." 

 Travelling in Wales being a matter of difficulty, special injunc- 

 tions were sent in 1576 "to all Justices of Peace, Mayors, and 

 others in Wales to see him conducted unto any towne, castle, 

 highe place, or hill, to view that countrey, and that he may be 

 accompanied with two or three honest men, such as do best know 

 the country for the better accomplishment of that service ; and 

 that at his departure from any towne or place that he hath taken 

 the view of, the said towne do set forth a horseman that can 

 speke both Welshe and Englishe, to safe conduct him to the next 

 Market Towne." 



