This work follows on the Cary tradition of a large-scale map of England and Wales published in sheet form dissected and in an atlas format. John Cary would first publish one as a wall map in 1792 followed by the atlas version entitled ‘New Map of England and Wales, with part of Scotland’ with 81 sheets in 1794. It was replaced by newly engraved plates for a ‘second edition’ 1816. This was published and corrected through to 1834.

The origin of this map goes back to 1819 with an extensive advert in ‘Cary’s New Itinerary’ of 1819 which stated, ‘Part the First, containing the whole of Cornwall & part of Devonshire, will be published early in the ensuing autumn’. The advert in the 1821 edition stated ‘Parts I & II are now published …’. By 1828 ten parts had been published. The intention was to issue the map in fourteen parts priced at £1 1s. each, in 63 sheets. On completion it consisted of 65 sheets. As it was issued the dates varied accordingly but when the whole was published in 1832, the imprints were brought up to date. As is often the case, the whole would not make up a rectangular map. Those portions which would have covered empty sea have been omitted.’ It is very fully and clearly engraved, giving great detail’ (Fordham).

This example records much of the expanding railway network laid down of the next few years. An examination of this reveals that this example was printed sometime in the late 1840s. The title and imprint remain unaltered. Fordham records an issue later still in which the imprint is altered to that of G. F. Cruchley. Provenance: Ben Hardisty 1994; acquired for a private English collection. Fordham (1925) pp. 120-1; Smith (1988); Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).