Old Map of Essex in 1611 by John Speed - Colchester, Chelmsford, Braintree

Engraved by Jodocus Hondius and first published in John Speed's The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine in 1611, this hand-coloured map surveys the ancient county of Essex as it stood in the early seventeenth century. Colchester, shown here in a detailed inset engraving, is marked as the county's principal town and one of Britain's oldest recorded settlements, while Chelmsford and Braintree appear as established market centres further west across the county. Decorative coats of arms line the left-hand side of the sheet, a hallmark of Speed's county maps and a reminder of the care taken over both accuracy and artistry during this golden age of English cartography. The map captures Essex at a moment when many of its towns had already existed for centuries, long before the county's later transformation by London's eastward expansion.

Because Essex's southwest border runs into London, the map also captures a slice of what is now the capital, including Hackney, Newington, Tottenham, Deptford, Greenwich, Barking, Walthamstow and Waltham Forest, all shown here as separate towns and villages rather than the continuous urban sprawl we know today. Elsewhere in the county proper, Romford, Brentford, Chigwell, Billericay, Clacton and Wivenhoe are all clearly marked, each spelled in the Early Modern English of the period. Perhaps most interesting of all, Southend-on-Sea does not yet exist on this map. In its place stands the small village of Prittlewell, which would only later grow into the seaside resort so many now know well, a small but telling detail of how much the Essex coast has changed since 1611.

This atmospheric map suits any home with ties to Essex or east London, equally at home as wall art in a hallway, study or living room. It makes a lovely housewarming gift for someone moving into a new home in Essex, a fitting work leaving gift for a colleague relocating away from Colchester or Chelmsford, a cheerful birthday surprise for an Essex native, or a considerate Mother's Day gift for a mum who grew up near Romford or Barking. It would equally suit a Christmas gift for family scattered between Essex and east London. Detailed enough to reward close inspection, it offers hours of enjoyment for anyone keen to trace the towns and villages of their childhood across this historic county.