SPEED, J. - Berkshire Described.

A lovely map of Berkshire from the first Sudbury & Humble edition of John Speed’s “Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain”. The top of the map shows a panoramic view of Windsor Castle as viewed from the Thames, which is flanked on the left with a cartouche indicating the names of members of the Honourable Order of the Garter, and on the right by a Knight of the Garter.
The map is further decorated with a description of a battle of Radcot Bridge that took place at in 1387, a compass rose and a title cartouche displaying the English Cross of St. George and surrounded by two putti.
A description of the county appears on the verso in English. The map is a beautifully coloured on heavy paper with a clear watermark of a crown.