Old Map of Hertfordshire in 1611 by John Speed - St Albans, Watford, Rickmansworth

This 1611 map of Hertfordshire by John Speed gives particular prominence to St Albans, shown with a detailed inset engraving of Verulamium, the Roman city that once stood on the southwestern edge of the modern town. Watford and Rickmansworth, both in the southern part of the county, are also clearly marked, sitting along the river valleys that would later make this corner of Hertfordshire so important to London's expansion.

Elsewhere on the map, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Hitchin anchor the western and northern parts of the county, while Bishop's Stortford marks the eastern edge near the Essex border. Hertford itself, the county town, appears too, though it shares the spotlight here with St Albans and its striking Roman history. Because Hertfordshire's southern boundary once reached close to London, the map also takes in towns and villages now considered part of the capital, including High Barnet, East Barnet, Enfield, Waltham Abbey and Hatfield. Potters Bar sits close by, rounding out a map that captures the county's journey from Roman settlement to Jacobean market towns.

This print brings a real sense of Hertfordshire's long history into a hallway, study or living room, and it has particular appeal for anyone drawn to Roman Britain or the history of St Albans specifically. It makes a lovely birthday gift, a housewarming gift for a new home in Watford or Rickmansworth, a work leaving gift for a colleague moving out to Hertfordshire, a Mother's Day gift for a mum who grew up near St Albans, or an anniversary gift for a couple who married in the county. It stands out as a distinctive piece of wall art with a genuinely different story to tell than a typical county map.