Antique Map of North Devon, Barnstaple Bay and Bristol Channel, 1885

An original antique map of the northern part of Devon, printed by lithography with original hand coloring, from the 1885 edition of The New Large Scale Ordnance Atlas of the British Isles. The cartouche at the upper right reads "DEVONSHIRE" and "(NORTH DIVISION)", followed by "REDUCED FROM THE ORDNANCE SURVEY," and the credit "BY EDWD WELLER, F.R.G.S."

The Bristol Channel runs across the top of the sheet, with Lundy Island at the far left and the wide bay lettered "BARNSTAPLE OR BIDEFORD BAY" below it. Ilfracombe, Barnstaple and Bideford sit on the north coast, Hartland Point marks the western corner, and Stratton, Bude and Launceston lie beyond the county boundary along the left edge. Further south and east are Tiverton, Exeter and Honiton, with Exmouth on the bottom border and the edge of Dartmoor lettered along the foot of the sheet. Somerset is named at the upper right, with Porlock, Minehead and Taunton.

The parliamentary divisions are washed in rose for the north, green for the south and yellow for the east, and the parliamentary boroughs of Barnstaple, Tiverton and Exeter are picked out in a stronger crimson. The key also shows railways and stations and railways in progress, and the cartouche repeats the atlas note on station names: "The official names of Railway Stations are all engraved in a special character, thus, Clayton; except where indicated by the name of the town being in bold letters and identical with the name of the Station." The sheet is divided into five mile squares with letters and figures in the border, and a scale of British Statute Miles sits below the title. The sheet number 12 is printed at the upper right.

The sheet comes from The New Large Scale Ordnance Atlas of the British Isles, the atlas of county and town maps reduced from the Ordnance Survey by Edward Weller, F.R.G.S., and published in London by G. W. Bacon and Co. The date 1885 comes from the volume the sheets were taken from; the year is not printed on the sheet, and Bacon's name does not appear on it. Edward Weller (1819 to 1884) was a London map engraver and draftsman and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Vertical fold down the center from binding. Even age toning. Handling soiling along all four edges. A few small foxing spots in the margin. Slight wear at the bottom right corner.

This is an original antique map, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.