Sussex Maps

FIRST MAP OF THE COUNTY TO SHOW LONGITUDE FROM GREENWICH

SUSSEX
By Rob.^t Morden

Copper engraving produced by Robert Morden for publication in Edmund Gibson's translation of William Camden's Britannia first  published by Abel Swalle and Awnsham & John Churchill in 1695. This is the first series of maps to mark longitude in minutes of time (top border) as well as in degrees (bottom border). For most counties longitude is based on the meridian of St. Paul's, London, but for the map of Sussex, Morden used the meridian of Greenwich.

The work was republished in 1722, 1730, 1753 and, finally in 1772.  The plate was updated for the 1722 edition with changes to some place name spellings and was reworked for the 1753 edition due to wear on the plate.


A very good example from the first edition [the place names of Worthing, Sheffield and Gravely are spelled Worting, Shasfield and Gravetye] in neat hand colour.

Ref. Kingsley Printed Maps of Sussex 20(i).

 

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