Old Map of Bristol in 1588 by Braun and Hogenberg - Brightstowe, Bristol Bridge

This map of Bristol was published in 1588 by Georg Braun and Frans Hogenberg, making it one of the first and rarest printed maps of the city ever produced. It first appeared in their monumental Civitates Orbis Terrarum, or Cities of the World, a cartographic masterpiece featuring 546 town plans, and shows Bristol under its older name of Brightstowe, as the city was known at the time.

Bristol Bridge sits at the centre of the map, leading towards High Street and St Nicholas Street, with the city's castle, river and a handful of churches among the few landmarks still recognisable after more than four centuries of change. A helpful fifteen-point legend runs down the left-hand side, identifying gates, churches and other notable buildings, including Newgate, one of the city's historic gateways, while a decorative coat of arms marks the sheet as a record of civic pride. The view itself looks in a roughly northwesterly direction across the Avon.

This map makes a distinctive housewarming gift for someone moving to Bristol, a birthday or Christmas present for a proud local, or a retirement and leaving gift for a colleague from the West Country. It also suits a corporate gift for a Bristol-based business marking an anniversary or milestone. The engraved detail and coat of arms have been carefully restored so the fifteen-point legend and street names remain crisp and legible.