Antique County Map of Devon circa 1787

An antique county map of Devon first published c.1787, republished 2018. John Cary (1754 - 1835) was an English cartographer, engraver and map seller prominent in London during the late 18th century and early 19th century. Originally produced using copper plates, and fine engraving, Cary's maps are highly detailed and easily readable. Villages, towns, and cities labelled include Exeter, Lifton, Honiton, South Molton, Bideford, Holdsworthy, and Tavistock.

When this map was published:

Devon is a maritime county, which sends 2 members to paliament and gives the title of Duke to the family of Cavendish. During the Saxon heptarchy, it belonged to the kingdom of the West Saxons; it is now in the province of Canterbury, diocese of Exeter, and is included in the Western circuit. It is 70 miles North to South; 65 from East to West; and 280 miles in circumference; containing 2520 sqaure miles, or 1,612,800 square acres; divied into 33 hundreds, 394 parishes, 117 vicarages, and 1733 villages; one city, Exeter, which is a county of itself, is the see of a Bishop, sends 2 members to parliament, and gives the title of Earl to the Cecil family; and 37 market towns, viz. Plymouth, one of the principal arsenals for the naval stores of the kingdom, which gives the title of Earl to the family of Windsor-Hickman, and sends 2 members to parliament; Tavistock, which sends 2 members to parliament, and gives the title of Marquis to the family of Ruffel; Dartmouth, sends also 2 members to paliament,and gives the title of Earl and Baron to the family of Legg; Ashburton, which sends 2 members to parliament, and gives the title of Baron to the family of Dunning; Barnstaple, Tiverton, Oakhampton, Honiton, Plymton, Totness, and Beeralston, each sends 2 members to paliament; Torrington gives the title of Viscount to the family of Byng; besides these are the following market towns, viz. Crediton, Bideford, Topsham, Axminster, Bampton, Newston Abbot, Lyston, Bowe, Bradninch, Brent, Kingsbridge, Dodbrook; Chudleigh, which gives the title of Baron to the family of Clifford; Chumleigh, Columpton, Coombe Martin, Culliton, Hartland, Holdsworthy, Hatherley, Ilfarcombe, Modbury Morton, Sidmouth, and South Molton. The following villages are remarkanble for giving the following titles viz. Edgecumbe, which gives the title of Viscount to the family of the same name; and Boringdon, which gives the title of Baron to the family of Parker. It's rivers are the Tame, Exe, Plym, Torridge, Taw, Yalm, Otter, Oke, Dart Tavy, Aven, Erme, Culm, Teigne, Ax, and Loman. The most remarkable places are Lydford Cataract; Start, Hartland, Combes, Bag, Brul, Store, and Otterman Points, Bolt Head, Bury Point, Bob's Nose, Lundy Island, Eddistone Rock and Lighthouse; Tor Bay, Dartmouth Haven, Salcomb Haven, Start Bay, Plymouth Sound, Barsntaple Bay, Portlidge Mouth, Hamoaze, Catwater, St.Nicholas Island, Sutton Pool, Exmore, Halden Hills, Crocken Tor, Brent Tor, Dartmore Forest, Morley. It sends 26 members to parliament already shewn,pays 21 parts of the land-tax, and provides 1600 men to the national militia. It produces copper, tin, lead, iron timber, slate, marble, free-stone,moorstone, loadstones, corn, apples, cider, perry, fowls, game, fish in abundance, pill corn, wild madder and woad. Its cheif manufactures are the different kinds of woollen cloths to an enormous amount. Near Tor Bay is a remarkable well that ebbs and flows, never freezes, is very transparent, and sometimes bubbles up like a boiling pot. In Exter Cathedral, is the largest organ in the worl, some of the pipes being 15 inches in diameter. There are mineral waters at Tavistock, Cleave, Lamerton, Bampton, and Lefton. The air is sharp and healthy, and the soil hilly, woody, and barren, till rendered fruitful by manure brought from the sea-side. - as published c.1787