Title:
Manuscript copy of John Norden 'The Description of Essex' with manuscript map
Level: Category
Estate and Family records
Level: Fonds
MILDMAY FAMILY OF MARKS, ROMFORD
Level: Sub-Fonds
MAPS
Scope and Content:
The map ( measuring 8 x 10½ inches, and drawn to a scale of 1 inch to 2¾ miles) differs in many small details, especially roads, from the manuscript map at Hatfield House and the two manuscript maps in the British Library. Shows the boundaries of the hundreds, hills, rivers, towns and villages, a few hamlets, many of the larger houses, several castles, water mills and bridges (including Hull Bridge), some roads (including the estuary causeways from Great Wakering to Foulness and from Manningtree to Wrabness), parks, forests, shoals and banks, and Walton Tower. The hundreds are distinguished by letters and the liberties by numbers; the key to these is given in the text. The map has no table of symbols which are numerous but self-explanatory. The borders are divided by a 2-mile scale, with reference letters along the sides, and figures at the top and bottom. The map shows a judicious use of colour and gold.

The text contains material additional to the Camden Society's edition of the Hatfield House copy - for example, further names of nobility and gentry, and the commission of the peace, 1594.
Dates of Creation:
1594
Extent:
1 volume, 1 map
Admin History:
This seems to be Norden's original draft of the work which he presented to Lord Burghley later in the year; the 'description' is much longer than those presented to Burghley and Essex.
Custodial History:
Deposited in the Essex Record Office, 1955.
Existence of Copies:
For copies of the map see MAP/CM/2/1 (black-and-white photograph) or MAP/CM/2/2 (colour print). For photographic copies of the description see Ph 1/369. The whole volume and map are also available on microfilm.
Related Unit of Description:
See also Sir Henry Ellis (ed.), Speculi Britanniae Pars: An historical and chorographical description of the county of Essex, by John Norden, 1594. Edited from the original manuscript in the Marquess of Salisbury's library at Hatfield' (London, Camden Society 1840) - i.e. Burghley's copy - which is available in the Essex Record Office Library (914.209). This includes Norden's indexes of places and houses.
Publication Notes:
See F.G. Emmison and R.A. Skelton 'The Description of Essex by John Norden, 1594', reprinted from the Geographical Journal 123 part 1, March 1957, pages 37-41.
Not Available:
Available in the Essex Record Office searchroom (microfilm drawers)

Key terms

TypeKey termsDescription
Personal Names John
Norden 		surveyor, 1594
Document Types Manuscript map Essex, by John Norden, 1594