153 



The places here mentioned are identified with Holdinghani and Sleaford in 

 Lincolnshii-e. Holdingham is a hamlet in the parish of Sleaford, situated one 

 mile from the town. 



Nothing was known by those who first studied the Map either of its 

 connection with the Cathedral of Hereford, or of its date, except what was 

 gathered from internal evidence. M. Lelewel, from the style of its penmanship, 

 conceived that it was executed about 1220. M. d'Avezac, ingeniously comparing 

 the course of historical events in the foui'teenth century with the political 

 divisions as indicated in the Map in respect to France, Burgundy and Flanders, 

 concludes its date to have been between 1313 and 1320. English antiquaries 

 have pronounced the style of writing to belong to the twenty years from 1290 to 

 1310. 



But recent researches in cathedral records have fortunately furnished us 

 with sure ground both as to its proximate date, and as to its connection with the 

 cathedral. Richard of Haldingham, having previously held office in Lincola 

 Cathedral, was endowed with the prebendal stall of Norton in Hereford, and 

 retained his prebend from 1290 to 1310. He was subsequently connected with 

 the chapter of Salisbury, and became Archdeacon of Berks. It ean hardly bo 

 doubted that the Map was executed while he was prebendary of Hereford, and 

 the period which is thus defined satisfactorily coincides with the conclusion of 

 the English antiquaries from the style of the work. 



The Map is drawn in accordance with the notion which, with modifications 

 from time to time, was the prevailing one in Christendom for more than sevea 

 centuries, from the time of Orosius and St. Augustin, until travellers in distant 

 regions became more numerous, observant, and communicative. The habitabla 

 earth is represented as a circular island, with the " ocean-stream" flowing round 

 it. Jerusalem is placed in the centre. Asia occupies nearly the whole upper (or 

 Eastern) half of the circle, while Europe holds the lower quai-ter on the left 

 hand, and Africa that on the right. 



This arrangement is common to most of the mediaeval maps of the world. 

 But the Hereford Map is distinguished from the rest by its great size, its 

 elaborate drawing, its illustrations of objects in natural history and of historical 

 facts, and its numerous inscriptions, many of which are of great interest in an 

 archaeological point of view. It may be regai-ded as the most comiilete repre- 

 sentation in existence of those speculative notions of our forefathers regarding 

 the earth, which speedily gave way upon the advance of actual geographical 

 knowledge in the fifteenth century. 



The interest of the Map is greatly increased by the decidedly religious 

 character of its chief illustrations. In a soi-t of gable over the circular border is 

 a striking and curious representation of the Last Judgment ; and in the Map 

 itself, the Eating of the Forbidden Fruit in the Garden of Eden, the Crucifixion 

 on Mount Calvary, and other events in BibUcal and ecclesiastical history, are 

 prominently shown. Many of the legends partake of the same character. This 



