Or know about. I contend that you can’t begin to understand London’s history properly without a pretty decent knowledge of its geography too, and how it’s changed over time. The answer, of course, lies in maps.
There have been many, but here – up until the end of the 19C – are the most notable, milestones if you will (with a few other items thrown in, e.g. Visscher, Tallis).
c1560 Ralph Agas (attr. disputed)
1572 Braun and Hogenberg, Civitates Orbis Terrarum
1593 John Norden. Maps of the Cities of London and Westminster
1616 Claes Visscher (1586 – 1652) A Panorama of London
1667 Wenceslaus Hollar (1607 – 1677), City of London after the Fire, and more
1676 John Ogilby (1600 – 1676) and William Morgan (d 1690), City of London
1682 William Morgan, London &c Actually Survey’d, London and Westminster
1746 John Rocque (1706 – 1762) A plan of the cities of London and Westminster, and borough of Southwark.
1762 House numbering introduced.
1799 Richard Horwood (1757 – 1803), PLAN of the Cities of LONDON and WESTMINSTER the Borough of SOUTHWARK and PARTS adjoining Shewing every HOUSE
1827 Christopher (1786-1855) and John Greenwood (d 1840) Map of London.
1840 John Tallis (1817 – 1876), London Street Views
1898 Edward Stanford (1827 – 1904), Stanford’s Map of the County of London.
My list is just scratching the surface. There are dozens – possibly hundreds – of omissions, not least speciality maps relating to bombs, insurance, poverty, temperance, religion etc., And then there are the panoramas. Pure joy.
Recommended Reading/Owning
The Times Atlas of London (2012)
London, a History in Maps (2012) by Peter Barber
Mapping London, Making Sense of the City (2007) by Simon Foxell
Recommended Sites
Locating London’s Past
Mapco
Motco
Stanfords
My final tip. Join the London Topographical Society.
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