Description
An extremely influencial map of Barbados, orientated with north to the right, with four inset town plans ('Bridge Toun', 'Ostines Toun', 'Hale Toun', and, without a border in the sea, 'Speights Toun'. Bottom right, within a border featuring allegorical figures of Britannia & Ceres and the arms of George I, is 'A New Description of the Island of Barbados'. Other decorations include a compass rose, a scale cartouche featuring cherubs and cartouches for the publisher's inscription and key. On the map the owner of each plantation is named and there are depictions of sugarcane, pineapples, 'bennawno' (banana trees), Indian corn, a pawpaw, and apparently cotton plants and palm trees.
The map was surveyed by Richard Ford (or Forde) and first published c.1674 by London publishers John Overton, Robert Morden, William Berry, and Thomas Pask. Soon afterwards the plate was bought by Philip Lea and John Seller. Despite the lifespan of the plate this is a very scarce map.