Old Map of Somerset in 1611 by John Speed - Bath, Taunton, Wells

This reproduction print is based on John Speed's 1611 map of Somerset, engraved by Jodocus Hondius for The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine. In the corner of the map Speed included a detailed inset of Bath, already regarded as the county's principal city, while Wells, seat of its ancient cathedral, and Taunton, the county town, both feature prominently across the main survey.

Speed's map reaches across the whole of Somerset, taking in Bristol and Portishead in the north, Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon along the coast, and Bridgwater, Glastonbury, Frome, Yeovil and Chard further south and east, with the great house at Longleat also marked near the Wiltshire border. Many of these names appear in their Early Modern English spellings, a small reminder of how much the language has shifted since the map was first engraved. Together they sketch a county of market towns, coastal ports and ancient religious sites, from the abbey ruins of Glastonbury to the long-established baths of Bath itself.

This map brings genuine character to a living room, study or hallway, and makes a lovely gift for a range of occasions. It's often bought as a Mother's Day gift for a Somerset-born mum, a Christmas present for parents who have retired to the county, a wedding anniversary gift for a couple married near Bath or Wells, or a retirement gift for someone finally settling down in the West Country. However it's given, it stands as a distinctive and thoughtfully chosen piece of wall art.