Derby – an old map by John Speed
Price range: £35.55 through £59.95
Derbyshire – a county of contrasts
High peaks, rolling scenery and moorland. The water springs of Buxton had been known since roman times, for their particular medicinal properties. John Speed once remarked: “Great cures by these waters have been done. Daily experience being good for the stomach and for the sinews, as well as immersment in them being very pleasant”A stunning certified FINE ART PRINT on heavy textured art paper — not a poster
- Direct from the publisher — no middlemen
- Printed in-house in Cornwall
- Free UK delivery — international shipping available
- Produced to meet — and often exceed — museum-quality standards
Size
Fine Art Map Reproductions – Museum-Quality Printing
Unlike most online offerings, our maps are produced entirely in-house, not outsourced to print-on-demand or drop-shipping services. This allows complete control over quality while offering better value. Each map begins with a high-resolution original, carefully enhanced and printed to order using archival papers and pigment inks for exceptional clarity, depth, and longevity. Every piece is personally overseen — no map leaves our workshop unless it is of a quality we would be proud to display ourselves.
Authentic Old Map Paper & Accurate Colour Reproduction
Paper choice is essential to the authenticity of our maps. We use specially sourced 190gsm paper made in the UK from pure materials and traditionally pressed with natural woollen felts. This process creates a subtle, randomly textured surface that closely resembles an original antique document. Likewise the use of premium quality ink fully saturates the paper, producing remarkable clarity, depth, and historical character. Colour fastness and sharpness will remain good for in excess of 100 years!
Buy Old Maps Online in the UK Today Trading online since 1999
The Old Map Company of Great Britain offers a vast and carefully curated collection of the very finest expertly reproduced vintage maps. Our range includes works by renowned cartographers such as John Speed and Willem Blaeu, covering Scotland, England, and beyond. Free UK courier delivery is included, with EU, USA, and worldwide shipping available at cost and calculated at checkout. If you need assistance, our team is always happy to help you choose the perfect map.
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Historical Background
John Speed’s old map of Derbyshire brings the Peak landscape together with a detailed plan of Derby and a separate architectural view of Buxton. The reproduced map is headed Darbieshire described and dated 1666, with heraldic shields, a compass rose and the royal arms framing the county.
Map Details
- Original title: Darbieshire described
- Mapmaker: John Speed
- Dates: 1666 in the reproduced title; Speed’s original county map was published in his atlas in 1611
- Publisher and edition: The reproduced image bears the later Thomas Bassett and Richard Chiswell imprint, London, associated with the 1676 edition, while retaining the engraved date 1666.
- Source atlas: The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine
- Area shown: Historic Derbyshire, with a detailed county-town plan
The High Peak and Derbyshire’s towns
Rows of pictorial hills dominate the northern county, where High Peak is prominently named. Buxton, Bakewell, Chesterfield and Wirksworth appear among winding river courses, woodland and settlement symbols. The contrast between the uplands and the southern county is immediately visible, while named hundreds help organise the landscape.
Derby in miniature
The inset labelled Darbye shows the town beside the River Derwent, with streets, bridges and individual buildings. A lettered key identifies local features and a separate scale measures distances in paces. The elaborate frame and adjoining decorative figure turn this practical town plan into an important part of the map’s visual appeal.
Buxton and the dates of the edition
At the lower right, the Buxton illustration includes a substantial building, a bath and a spring. It is an architectural scene rather than a measured town plan. The county title’s date of 1666 should be read alongside the later Bassett and Chiswell imprint: Speed’s design continued to be issued after its first appearance in 1611. This print preserves those visible details.
A fine art print supplied unframed, with the original map’s warm tones and engraved detail preserved.
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