1 : 31680 This drawing covers the Bedford Level and part of the East Anglian fens, with the town of Wisbech shown at top left. Drains across fens and marshland are highlighted in blue. These date from the 17th century, when James I appointed the Dutch engineer, Cornelius Vermuyden to direct drainage of the wetlands. Many local people opposed the scheme because the land involved was commonland on which they grazed cattle. As a result of Vermuyden's work, the fens became a very different landscape, transformed from one of flooded marshes to extensively farmed agricultural land. Yeakell, Thomas Jr.
1 : 31680 This drawing covers part of the Cambridgeshire fenland, an area characterised by straight, water-filled dykes dividing arable land. The New Bedford River is shown running down the middle of the sheet, almost parallel to the original Old Bedford River, taking the waters of the Great Ouse to Denver Sluice, at top right of the plan. In the 17th century, the Dutch engineer, Cornelius Vermuyden was appointed by James I to direct the drainage of the wetlands. As a result of Vermuyden's work, the fens took on a very different appearance, changing from an area of flooded marshes to one of extensively farmed agricultural land. Yeakell, Thomas Jr.Draughtsman
1 : 31680 This drawing covers the fens of Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire with the county borders indicated by a red dotted line. Characteristic fenland features such as dykes, canals and ancient cattle droves are clearly depicted on the plan. In the 17th century, the Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermuyden was appointed by James I to direct the drainage of the wetlands. As a result of Vermuyden's work, the fens took on a very different appearance, changing from an area of flooded marshes to one of extensively farmed agricultural land. Yeakell, T.
Map of Northhamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Huntigdonshire and Rutland
This is a manuscript map of Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire and Rutland, a page from an atlas that belonged to William Cecil Lord Burghley, Elizabeth I’s Secretary of State. Burghley used this atlas to illustrate domestic matters.It is in a hand pre dating 1570 and may be the work of John Rudd. Rudd was the man to whom Christopher Saxton was an apprentice to in 1570. John Rudd was Vicar of Dewsbury from 1554 to 1570. Rudd had a keen interest in cartography and had been engaged in the 1550’s in making a platt’ of England. In 1561 Rudd was granted leave to travel further to map the country and it is likely that Saxton accompanied him, acquiring his skills for surveying. Rudd, John
NORFOLCIAE comitatus f.40
This is a map of Norfolk. It forms part of an atlas that belonged to William Cecil Lord Burghley, Elizabeth I’s Secretary of State. Burghley used this atlas to illustrate domestic matters. This map is actually a proof copy of one which forms part of Christopher Saxton’s Atlas of England and Wales. This atlas was first published as a whole in 1579. It consists of 35 coloured maps depicting the counties of England and Wales. The atlas is of great significance to British cartography as it set a standard of cartographic representation in Britain and the maps remained the basis for English county mapping, with few exceptions, until after 1750. During the reign of Elizabeth I, map use became more common, with many government matters referring to increasingly accurate maps with consistent scales and symbols, made possible by advances in surveying techniques. Illustrating the increasing use of maps in government matters, Lord Burghley, Elizabeth I’s Secretary of State, who had been determined to have England and Wales mapped in detail from the 1550s, selected the cartographer Christopher Saxton to produce a detailed and consistent survey of the country. The financier of the project was Thomas Seckford Master of Requests at the Court of Elizabeth I, whose arms appear, along with the royal crest, on each map. This map is different from others in the series as it shows the county divided into administrative units called hundreds’ These are indicated by an alphabetical key, differentiated by colour and referenced to a index. Lord Burghley has added several place names. The map was engraved by Cornelius Hogius, one of a team of seven English and Flemish engravers employed to produce the copper plates for the atlas. Saxton, Christopher Hogius, Cornelius