Vintage Map of Essex
Price range: £35.55 through £59.95
John Speed’s map of Essex, bearing the engraved date 1610
This coloured vintage map divides Essex into its historic hundreds, with Chelmsford, Colchester and the county’s estuaries clearly marked. A separate street plan of Colchester, the arms of the Earls of Essex and Roman portraits fill the decorative panels around the county map.
Reproduced as a fine art print and supplied unframed, it combines local detail with the distinctive ornament of Speed’s county maps.
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.
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
John Speed combined county geography with local history in his maps for The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine. This Essex design bears the engraved date 1610. Its county map is accompanied by a plan of Colchester and heraldic and historical panels, so there is considerably more to study than the outline of Essex alone. The date on the plate identifies the design; it does not establish the printing date of every later atlas impression.
Map Details
- Original title: Essex, divided into Hundreds, with the most antient and fayre Towne Colchester described and other memorable Monuments observed.
- Cartographer: John Speed.
- Date engraved on the map: 1610.
- Atlas: The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine.
- Area shown: The historic county of Essex, with a separate Colchester town plan.
- Orientation: North at the top.
The County and Its Hundreds
The coloured divisions show the hundreds used to organise the historic county. Names including Barstable, Chafford and Dengie appear within the map, alongside towns, villages, woodland symbols and waterways. Chelmsford lies inland, while the Blackwater and Crouch estuaries lead towards the coast. The Thames forms the southern edge, with a small representation of London at the lower left.
Colchester and the Decorative Panels
The lower-right inset gives Colchester its own street plan, with a key to prominent buildings and a scale labelled in paces. Above it are portraits of Constantine, Constantius and Helena, reflecting the historical traditions associated with the town. These are features of Speed’s presentation of local history, rather than modern archaeological evidence.
The coats of arms of the Earls of Essex run down the left margin. A sailing ship and a sea creature occupy the water to the east, while the ornamental title panel carries the county name and date.
For a different treatment of the county, our Joan Blaeu map of Essex presents the hundreds and coastline without Speed’s separate Colchester street plan.
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