Speed's map of Wales

Reference: MAP 5024

In 1611 John Speed (1551/2–1629), an English historian and renowned cartographer, published his ‘Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain’. This was the earliest English attempt at producing an atlas on a large scale. The 2nd of this work’s 4 volumes covered Wales and included a map of Wales (dated 1610) along with individual maps of the 13 Welsh counties. Speed’s ‘Theatre’ was extremely successful and its maps became the basis for folio atlases produced up to the mid-18th century.

Related links

• 16th and 17th Century Mapping of Wales
• Speed, John (1551/2–1629), ODNB, available within NLW