JOHN OWEN
and
EMANUEL BOWEN

Britannia Depicta
1720 onwards
AN EXPLANATION OF THE ROAD MAPS

The Title of Every Road is a distinct page; to each of which is annexed a Map of the County wherein the Initial or Boundary City, own of Place, lies [for the most part] or else some part of the Description of the Road itself.

The beginning of the Road is always at the bottom on the Left Hand , in the Page following the Title 3 whence you proceed upwards from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc. Miles until you come to the Top of the first Column, and so in like manner from the Bottom of the 2d, 3d, etc. beginning in every Page on the Left Hand as before directed.

The black Dots or Points in the middle of the Road are the Stations of the Miles, with their respective numbers affixed to them.

When any other Road crosses or goes out of the Road described, there is an opening with the Name of the Place to which it goes: An in your Progress you meet with Rills, Brooks, Rivers, Bridges [the Plan of the Road shewing whether built of Wood, Brick, or Stone. Number of Arches contained in each if any of Note.] Woods, Trees, Mountains, and Hills [shewing their Ascent and Descent, as they really are, very naturally]. The Plan of the Road shewing at the same time the Ichnography of all Cities, Towns, etc. and the Compass in each Column the true Bearings both of the Road itself and of all the Towns and Places that offer themselves to your View on either side of it. The Road is all the way bounded with two parallel black Lines if includes or hedged on both sides, or else if open, with two parallel dotted Lines, or lastly, if bounded or hedged in one side and open on the other, with a black Line and a dotted Line parallel to it.

The Name of the County, the Road passes through is engraved on each Column.

In the Margin or some other convenient Place of every Page is likewise engraved a Description of the Cities, Boroughs, [with the Arms of all such that have any] Corporations, Market Towns and whatever is remarkable, with figures referring to the Places where they are to be found in the Plan of that Road; but to the Intent that the Reader might readily find out any Place, described in this Book, we have hereunto subjoined an Alphabetical Table of all such Places. And whereas in the whole course of these Roads there are many Places repeated often i the Plan: The Reader must therefore have recourse to the aforesaid Table, to direct him to the Place he wants, it being described only in one.

Collecting British County Maps
Part 1: 1579 to 1660
Part 2: 1660 to 1727
Part 3: 1727 to 1820
Part 4: 1820 onwards