Old Map of West Yorkshire in 1611 by John Speed - York, Bradford, Sheffield, Leeds

This is a spectacular map of West Yorkshire by John Speed, published in 1611 in his monumental "The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine." Speed's Yorkshire map represents the wool trade capital of medieval England, rendered with his characteristic precision and artistry.

York, the ancient capital of the North, commands a prominent position as a cathedral city of national importance. From York, the map unfolds to reveal Bradford, an emerging centre of cloth trade, and Leeds, already one of England's most significant market towns. Sheffield rises to the south, Huddersfield and Halifax are marked as key woollen-cloth towns, and Ripon appears with its cathedral. Otley, Harewood, Skipton, and Pontefract are placed within the county's framework, alongside the River Aire, River Wharfe, and River Calder that were essential to Yorkshire's medieval economy.

Wonderful as a birthday, Christmas, Father's Day or housewarming gift for Yorkshire families, history enthusiasts, and genealogists with ties to this historic northern county.