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This decorative map of Sussex, first printed by John Speed in 1610, provides a detailed view of the county divided into its traditional 'rapes' or administrative divisions. The map includes the city of Chichester, prominently featured in a detailed inset at the top left. At the bottom of the map are various coats of arms, representing notable families and nobility of Sussex, adding heraldic interest. The map is adorned with several illustrations, including ships, sea monsters, and a depiction of a battle in the sea, giving it both artistic and historical value.
The scale of miles and a key for the arms of noble families are also included. This map not only serves as a geographical representation but also reflects the historical and social structure of Sussex during the early 17th century.
John Speed (1551 or '52 - 28 July 1629) was the best known English mapmaker of the Stuart period. Speed came to mapmaking late in life, producing his first maps in the 1590s and entering the trade in earnest when he was almost 60 years old.
John Speed's fame, which continues to this day, lies with two atlases, The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine (first published 1612), and the Prospect of the Most Famous Parts of the World (1627). While The Theatre ... started as solely a county atlas, it grew into an impressive world atlas with the inclusion of the Prospect in 1627. The plates for the atlas passed through many hands in the 17th century, and the book finally reached its apotheosis in 1676 when it was published by Thomas Bassett and Richard Chiswell, with a number of important maps added for the first time.
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