Old Map of Alderney
Price range: £35.55 through £59.95
Old Map of Alderney by Jacques-Nicolas Bellin, 1757
Alderney’s rugged coastline, neighbouring Burhou and the scattered rocks of the Casquets are set out on this finely engraved French sea chart. Across the water lies Cap de la Hague, while a separate inset records the islands and reefs of Chausey. An ornate title cartouche and a web of navigational lines give the map its distinctive maritime character.
This newly coloured edition uses soft green, ochre and rose tones while retaining the original engraved lettering and detail. A thoughtful choice for an Alderney home, a coastal interior or anyone with a connection to the Channel Islands.
Supplied unframed as a fine-art giclée print, produced with archival pigment inks on textured fine art paper.
Size
UK delivery just £4.95 per order · International delivery available.
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. UK delivery is just £4.95 per order, 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
Jacques-Nicolas Bellin’s chart presents Alderney through the eyes of a navigator. The island appears as “Isle d’Aurigni”, surrounded by named rocks, small islands and depth figures. Burhou and Ortac lie to the west, with Les Casquets farther out, while the French coast enters the sheet at Cap de la Hague. Between Alderney and the mainland, the channel is labelled “Ras de Blanchart”.
Map Details
- Original title: Carte réduite de l’Isle d’Aurigni et des isles et roches voisines.
- Cartographer: Jacques-Nicolas Bellin (1703–1772).
- Map date: 1757, engraved as MDCCLVII in the title panel.
- Production: Prepared at the Dépôt des cartes et plans de la Marine for the French king’s ships; catalogued by the Bibliothèque nationale de France as published in Paris.
- Area shown: Alderney, nearby islands and rocks, and part of the Cap de la Hague coast.
- Inset: Carte de l’Isle de Chauzé, showing Chausey and its surrounding rocks.
- Notable features: French place names, depth figures, radiating navigational lines and longitude measured west of the Paris meridian.
A French naval chart with English sources
Bellin joined the Dépôt des cartes et plans de la Marine in 1721 and became an ingénieur hydrographe de la Marine in 1741. The wording on this chart makes its official purpose clear: it was prepared for the service of the king’s ships, by order of M. de Machault.
A smaller line beneath Bellin’s name says that the chart was based on English manuscripts. It is a useful reminder that the information behind a French naval map could come from sources across the Channel. The inscription credits Bellin with preparing the chart; it does not claim that he personally surveyed Alderney.
Alderney’s surrounding waters
The main settlement is marked simply as “la Ville”. Much of the finer detail lies along the shore and among the offshore hazards, where small rock symbols and depth figures surround the island. The sweeping lines across the sea radiate from two centres, contrasting with the tightly engraved coastline. The Casquets and Burhou help place Alderney within its wider maritime setting.
The Chausey inset
The large inset is a separate chart of Chausey, rather than an enlargement of Alderney. It identifies the fort, chapel, anchorages and numerous outlying rocks, with its own compass rose and scale in toises. Labels such as “Grande Grève” and “Petit Havre” add detail to the sheltered spaces between land and sea.
This coloured edition
The original engraved detail has been retained, with a new digital colour treatment inspired by eighteenth-century hand colouring. Pale washes distinguish the land and decorative title frame while leaving most of the sea uncoloured. The colour is part of this reproduction, not a claim about the colouring of the original impression.