This search will return exact matches only. For best results:
Please note that only low-res files should be uploaded. Any images with overlay of text may not produce accurate results. Details of larger images will search for their corresponding detail.
Drag file here
Upload
Processing search results
Waiting for update..
Error:
Search by Colour
Advanced Search
Search Tips
Searching for a particular field
Field
Search term
Example
Asset title
title:
title:pony
Asset title and keywords
~
~pony
Asset description text
description:
description:london
Agency prefix
prfx: or $
prfx:lal or $LAL
Asset id
imageid: or #
imageid:250297 or imageid:[2500 TO 4000] or #1551
Agency name
coll:
coll:history
Medium
medium:
medium:oil
Century
century:
century:20th
Keywords
kw:
kw:dog
Artist name
artist: or ?
artist:monet or ?monet
Artist nationality
nat:
nat:French
Creator ID
creatorid:
creatorid:37
Location
loc: or @
loc:exeter or @exeter
Classification
class:
class:57 or #57. Use # for unclassified assets
Year
year:
year:1850 or year:[1700 TO 1800]
Metadata Block (Hidden)
Contact us for further help
High res file dimension
Search for more high res images or videos
A coloured chart of Plymouth Harbour, and of the country up to Tavistock; drawn possibly...
This is a map of Plymouth and environs and is a 16th century copy of an original map dating from 1591 by Robert Spry. Spry is recorded as a painter in municipal records between 1569-70 and 1591-2. The map is drawn in a somewhat archaic pictorial style with topographical details drawn in perspective. Great detail has been observed in the depiction of churches and country houses and three beacons, the means of alerting the surrounding area, are recorded. The anchorages of the Sound are marked by drawings of ships. The map shows the conduit or leat that was constructed by Sir Francis Drake in 1590-1 in order to provide a water-supply for the town from Dartmoor. In connection with his leat, Drake had been granted a lease of the six town mills in 1583. The leat was designed for the watering of ships and to power the mills and played a central role in Drake’s hopeful project to make Plymouth a powerful naval station. Although popular local tradition suggested that Drake had employed magic in order to effect the construction of the leat which passed through "mighti rockes which was thought unpossible to carrie water through", it was in fact the work of the Plymouth engineers Robert Lampen and his brother. Figures along the course of the leat, from the River Meavy to Plymouth record miles. A section that is likely to have contained an explanatory table has been removed, resulting in the maps irregular shape.
Cartographer: Spry, Robert
Date: 1591
Shelfmark: Cotton Augustus I.i.f.41
Photo credit
From the British Library archive / Bridgeman Images