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Maps of London

Description

Here’s a chronological summary of the most useful historical London maps available online. I’ve only included the most detailed maps, usually detailed enough to include street names and portray buildings individually. Also, the maps page on the Southwark Council site has some great period maps of London as high resolution PDFs.

1560/1572, Londinum Feracissimi An Gliae Regni Metroopolis by Braun and Hogenberg
Map: A good colour overview of London and the surrounding fields. Good for getting a sense of the scale and feel of the city. Few street names but all buildings shown.
This version: A single image but big enough to be detailed.
1593, A guide for Cuntrey men In the famous Cittey of LONDON by the helpe of wich plot they shall be able to know how farr it is to any Street… by John Norden
Map: Streets are numbered with a key provided. Stretches only from Gray’s Inn in the west to the Tower of London in the east.
This version: Zoomable and draggable with good detail.
1645, London before the fire by Wenceslas Hollar
Map: Very detailed. Not all street or place names included and only features “London” rather than Westminster or south of the river.
This version: Zoomable and draggable. Great detail.
1658, An Exact Delineation of the Cities of London and Westminster and the Surburbs by Richard Newcourt
Map: Extremely detailed and precise. Stretches from St James’ Palace in the west to Limehouse in the east.
This version: Zoomable with great detail. Split into pages.
1666, Plan of London before the fire by Wenceslas Hollar
Map: Not as detailed as Newcourt’s 1658 or Hollar’s 1645 (no room for street names for example, although some are numbered with a key) but not bad. Stretches from Westminster to Stepney and Redriff.
This version: Zoomable and draggable.
1666 (December), An exact surveigh of the streets, lanes and churches contained within the ruins of the City of London by John Leake (?)
Map: Focuses on the damage caused by the fire, from Fleet Street in the west to the Tower of London in the east. Pretty detailed, with many street names.
This version: Zoomable and draggable, although only within quite a small window. Sometimes it doesn’t quite zoom in close enough to read all the text.
1676, Ogilby and Morgan’s Survey of the City of London
Map: Wonderfully detailed, with most streets, alleys etc named and buildings shown.
This version: Click a sheet number below the map to zoom in a little, then click the map or Zoom level to zoom in further. Unfortunately it seems like a poor-quality scan at zoomed-in levels.
1676, Based on Ogilby and Morgan’s map, above
A re-drawn, more diagrammatic version of Ogilby and Morgan’s 1676 map, with links to versions that highlight specific elements, such as the City wall, prisons, the Fleet River, etc. Several maps aren’t done, but those that are are useful.
1720, A Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster by John Strype
Map: (Click “List of Maps and Illustrations”.) Many detailed maps of individual wards and parishes.
This version: Each map opens quite small in a pop-up window, although the images are bigger and more detailed than displayed here. Zoom in or download the image to your computer to view full-size.
1746, A plan of the Cities of London and Westminster, and Borough of Southwark with the contiguous buildings by John Rocque
Map: Extremely detailed, with every street, square, alley, church, tavern, etc named. From Hyde Park and Chelsea in the west to Limehouse in the east.
This version: Zoomable to incredible detail, split into pages. There is a place name index but Motco have disabled its usefulness to persuade you to buy the CD version.
1755, Tower Street Ward by John Leake(?)
A detailed map which shows the location of the Navy Office, St Olave’s church and other landmarks.
This version: Detailed, of a small part of the City.
1792-1799, Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster,the Borough of Southwark, and Parts Adjoining. Showing Every House by Richard Horwood
Map: Extremely detailed. Stretches from Hyde Park in the west to Limehouse in the east. A less good version is available at Motco.
This version: Zoomable with great detail (each house is numbered!).
1801, Plan of Westminster and London by John Fairburn
Map: Very detailed. Stretches from Hyde Park in the west to the Lea River in the east.
This version: Zoomable, opening in new pages, each street is named.
1827, Map of London by John Greenwood
Map: Very detailed. From Kensington in the west to Greenwich in the east.
This version: Zoomable to great detail, split into pages. Includes a very useful clickable list of place names.
1830, Map of London by John Greenwood
Map: A new edition of Greenwood’s 1827 map, above. Very detailed with most streets named. Some colour added. From Kensington in the west to Greenwich in the east.
This version: Zoomable to great detail, split into pages. Once more, although there is a place name index, Motco have disabled it to make you buy the CD version.

London environs

1786, Fifteen miles round London by John Cary
Map: From Uxbridge in the west to Brentwood in the east. A great overview of the surrounding area, showing all villages and farms in an area that is now all part of built-up London.
This version: Zoomable to great detail, split into pages. Another disabled Motco place-name index.

Last updated by Phil Gyford on 2 January 2012

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