The first printed map of Durham from William Camden’s ‘Britannia’. This is from the seventh edition of William Camden’s ‘Britannia’ first published in 1586. It was the last to be published in his lifetime and the first series to be illustrated with county maps, although this had been contemplated since at least 1589. Camden (1551-1623) was an antiquary and historian. An academic by profession he would become the headmaster of Westminster School in 1593. He spent much of his time travelling and collecting material for his highly respected ‘Britannia’. An example of the preferred first state from the second edition without text on the verso. Chubb 19; Shirley BL T.Camd 1c; Skelton 6; Taylor ‘Late Tudor and Early Stuart Geography’ pp. 9- 13.