Vintage 1971 Christopher Saxton 1576 Facsimile Map

 Specifications
Type: Vintage Facsimile Cartographic Print
Map Title: Warwic Lecestriaeque Comitat (Map of Warwickshire and Leicestershire)
Original Cartographer: Christopher Saxton (Engraved by Lenaert Terwoort, 1576)
Publisher / Printer: Printed by Taylowe Limited, 1971 (for the British Museum)
Catalog Reference: British Museum, Maps C.7. c.1.
Standard Book Number (SBN): 7141 0262 8
Dimensions: 45 cm x 57 cm
 
About the Artwork
This item is an authentic vintage 1971 official facsimile print replicating the highly coveted 1576 Tudor map of Warwickshire and Leicestershire by the father of British cartography, Christopher Saxton. Masterfully printed by Taylowe Limited in cooperation with the British Museum, this edition beautifully captures the exquisite detail and rich coloration of the hand-tinted original copper engraving.
The map showcases towns, rivers, and undulating hill formations across the West and East Midlands, including historic layouts of Birmingham, Coventry, and Warwick. It is adorned with decorative Elizabethan embellishments, including: 
 
The Royal Cartouche: A bold dedication to Queen Elizabeth I (Elyzabethe Regina) dated 1576.
Heraldic Coat of Arms: Positioned in the upper left, featuring a crowned shield supported by a traditional lion and griffin.
The Scale Divider: An elegant surveyor's compass detailing the Scala Miliarium (Scale of Miles).
 
The lower margin distinctly marks its official reproduction lineage with the British Museum institutional map catalog reference and the 1971 Taylowe printing credits.
 
About the Artist / Institution
Christopher Saxton (c. 1542–1610) was an English mapmaker who compiled the first comprehensive national atlas of England and Wales under the royal patronage of Queen Elizabeth I and her court. His ground-breaking surveys laid the foundational framework for modern British geography. The engraver for this specific plate was the Flemish craftsman Lenaert Terwoort of Antwerp. This 1971 edition was published by the British Museum to provide collectors and scholars with precise, high-fidelity color lithographic access to the crown jewels of their historical geographic archives.