Gough Map Reproduction
£79.95
Original Gough Map
The Gough Map is one of the earliest surviving maps of Great Britain, created during the medieval period and drawn by hand on parchment. It records hundreds of towns, castles, religious centres and rivers, together with important travelling routes and distances between many locations.
Its geography differs noticeably from a modern map, particularly in Scotland, but it remains an exceptional record of how medieval Britain was understood and connected. The surviving manuscript is now heavily faded, stained and worn, making much of its original lettering difficult to read, yet these signs of age give the map its remarkable historical character.
For those wishing to see the map’s extraordinary detail more clearly, we also offer the 1870 Ordnance Survey facsimile, in which the original features are carefully redrawn and many of the ancient place names are transcribed in red. If you would like to order the maps as a pair we offer them at the special price of £129.95 (see below)
A stunning certified FINE ART PRINT on heavy textured art paper — not a poster
Supplied at an impressive 49 x 24 inches
- 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.
RECENT REVIEWS
Verified ownerGot there in time and loves it! Cheers David [Gift from US to UK]
Verified ownerThanks Lauren. We received it today - it's gorgeous! Thank you, Ellan
Verified ownerThank you for your prompt service. I have a gallery and framing business in South Wales. I'm so pleased it is printed in the UK
Verified ownerMy Isles of Scilly map arrived safely and I'm delighted with it!
The print arrived safely and we're delighted with it - a lovely reminder of our honeymoon 15 years ago.
Verified ownerI have just received them! I'm sure our clients will be pleased with them and there could be more projects off the back of this one where we can use more. [Interior Designers]
Verified ownerI just received my map of Ireland by Ewart today and, as usual, I am delighted by its quality. The crispness and fineness of detail is excellent and the colour reproduction surpasses my expectations. Please relay my thanks to Steve for another fine effort!
Verified ownerMany thanks, Lauren. Very pleased with the map and the service: would recommend The Old Map Company to anyone interested in Old Maps.
Verified ownerMany thanks, the map arrived safely this morning, and I’m really pleased with it. A stunning reproduction, just as I had hoped. I will keep browsing your website, and may yet be tempted by more of your items! Have a great weekend.
Verified ownerJust arrived, wonderful map! Thanks very much!
Verified ownerThe map – beautiful – arrived safely, very many thanks.
Verified ownerThank you, I have already found the map. It’s wonderfull! Good luck! Rasa
Verified ownerMy apologies for the very late reply. I wanted to reach out to thank you so much for rushing my order. My partner absolutely loved it. I am amazed with the service so that is a five-star from me. I wish you all the best.
Historical Background
The Gough Map presents Britain with east towards the top, so Scotland lies to the left and southern England to the right. Its branching rivers and small settlement symbols make the island recognisable even where the coastline differs from a modern map. The worn surface reproduced here is part of the surviving manuscript’s character.
Map Details
- Common title: The Gough Map
- Maker: Unknown
- Date: Medieval; its dating and successive stages of work remain subjects of research
- Original medium: Manuscript on two joined pieces of parchment
- Collection: Bodleian Libraries, Oxford
- Orientation: East towards the top
The name comes from Richard Gough, the antiquary whose collection brought the map to the Bodleian in 1809. It does not identify the person who drew it. This distinction separates the map’s later collecting history from its medieval origins.
The densely marked southern part contrasts with the more open treatment of Scotland. Settlement symbols resemble small buildings, while rivers spread through the interior as prominent branching forms. These are different priorities from those of a modern road atlas: individual places and connections matter more than a uniform system of measured symbols.
On the original, many settlements are linked by lines accompanied by Roman numerals indicating distances. Scholars have examined their relationship to medieval routes and older roads. In this reproduction, faded marks and the reduced contrast of the aged surface mean that not every name or distance can be read clearly. The appeal is the surviving manuscript’s appearance, rather than the clean lettering of a later redrawn facsimile.
The map’s precise date should be treated cautiously. Older descriptions commonly place it in the fourteenth century, while later research considers work continuing into the fifteenth. Its layered history helps explain why a single year would give a misleading impression of certainty.
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