Old Map of the Isles of Scilly by John Pinkerton

John Pinkerton’s Map of the Isles of Scilly, 1814 sles of Scilly, 1814This detailed early nineteenth-century map of the Isles of Scilly formed part of a larger plate devoted to the “Remote British Isles” in John Pinkerton’s Modern Atlas. The complete engraved sheet brought together maps of the Scilly Isles, the Shetland Islands, and Jersey and Guernsey. The plate was published in London on 1 June 1814. It was drawn under the direction of John Pinkerton by L. Hebert and engraved by Samuel John Neele, whose address at 352 Strand appears on the original sheet. Map Details Original atlas title: Remote British Isles: Jersey and Guernsey, Scilly Isles and Shetland Islands Atlas: Pinkerton’s Modern Atlas Directed by: John Pinkerton Drawn by: L. Hebert Engraver: Samuel John Neele Published: London, 1 June 1814 Publishers: Cadell & Davies; Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown Scilly map scale: approximately 1:57,000 Technique: Copperplate engraving with original hand colouring The Scilly Isles Panel The Isles of Scilly occupy their own substantial section of Pinkerton’s larger Remote British Isles plate. The map concentrates closely on the archipelago rather than treating the islands merely as a small offshore inset to Cornwall. St Mary’s, Tresco, St Martin’s, Bryher and St Agnes can all be identified, together with numerous smaller islands and rocks. The surrounding sea is covered with names and navigational detail, reflecting the complexity of the waters around the archipelago. For anyone familiar with Scilly, much of the interest lies in tracing recognisable islands and coastal features while seeing them through the eyes of an early nineteenth-century mapmaker. A Landscape Shaped by the Sea The Isles of Scilly lie far out into the Atlantic beyond the western tip of Cornwall. Their beauty is matched by a long maritime history shaped by exposed rocks, shoals, narrow passages and changing weather. Pinkerton’s map records this relationship between land and sea particularly well. The islands do not appear as isolated shapes surrounded by empty water. Instead, rocks, channels and maritime hazards form an important part of the engraved landscape. That density of information is one reason this edition remains especially satisfying as a detailed map of the islands. John Pinkerton and the Modern Atlas John Pinkerton was a Scottish antiquarian, historian and geographer whose Modern Atlas brought together maps drawn from what its title described as the “latest and best authorities”. For this plate Pinkerton directed the work rather than engraving it personally. L. Hebert prepared the drawing and Samuel John Neele engraved the finished copperplate. This division of labour was typical of major atlas production. The name of the atlas author or publisher could become the familiar name attached to a map, while skilled draughtsmen and engravers were responsible for turning geographical information into the finished printed sheet. The Remote British Isles The original plate is particularly interesting because Pinkerton grouped the Isles of Scilly with other island communities lying away from the main British mainland. Alongside Scilly appear the Shetland Islands in the far north and the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey in the south. The result is an unusual atlas sheet devoted not to a single county or country, but to geographically separated island groups. Our reproduction concentrates on the Isles of Scilly section, allowing the detail of Pinkerton’s engraving to be appreciated at a much more useful display size. The Isles of Scilly in 1814 Pinkerton’s map predates many later navigational improvements around the islands. Bishop Rock Lighthouse, for example, did not become operational until the middle of the nineteenth century. The map therefore records Scilly at a period when mariners still depended heavily upon charts, local knowledge, visual landmarks and careful navigation through waters notorious for reefs and submerged hazards. Today its role is quite different. What began as geographical information has become an evocative historical record of an island landscape that remains instantly recognisable more than two centuries later.