JOHN OWEN and EMANUEL BOWEN

An atlas specially designed for the early 18th century traveller being of a size to fit in a coat pocket or saddle-bag. Strip road maps based on the earlier survey by John Ogilby plus a series of county maps of England and Wales. This series is often referred to as Owen/Bowen.

First published in 1720 with further editions up to the 1750's.

A completely new concept in aiding the 18th century traveller. Other usefull atlases avaialble in bookshops at the time offered strip roads maps but Britannia Depicta had an additional bonuses. As well as road maps an individual map of all the counties of England and Wales. Plus the special feature Emanuel Bowen brough to maps. Interesting information crammed into any space available, provided by John Owen. Britannia Depicta must have been the popular choice road book of the time as it was regulalry republished over a period of 30 years.

Travel on roads in the early 18th century was generally slow and difficult, as most roads were poorly maintained and often muddy or rutted. Horse-drawn vehicles, such as carriages and wagons, were the primary mode of transportation, and travel was often restricted to the summer months when the roads were drier. In addition, many roads were poorly marked and lacked bridges, making travel even more challenging. Due to these conditions, travel was often expensive and time-consuming.

The Title of Every Road is a distinct page; to each of which is annexed a Map of the County wherein the Initial or Boundary City, own of Place, lies [for the most part] or else some part of the Description of the Road itself.

The beginning of the Road is always at the bottom on the Left Hand , in the Page following the Title 3 whence you proceed upwards from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc. Miles until you come to the Top of the first Column, and so in like manner from the Bottom of the 2d, 3d, etc. beginning in every Page on the Left Hand as before directed.

The black Dots or Points in the middle of the Road are the Stations of the Miles, with their respective numbers affixed to them.

When any other Road crosses or goes out of the Road described, there is an opening with the Name of the Place to which it goes: An in your Progress you meet with Rills, Brooks, Rivers, Bridges [the Plan of the Road shewing whether built of Wood, Brick, or Stone. Number of Arches contained in each if any of Note.] Woods, Trees, Mountains, and Hills [shewing their Ascent and Descent, as they really are, very naturally]. The Plan of the Road shewing at the same time the Ichnography of all Cities, Towns, etc. and the Compass in each Column the true Bearings both of the Road itself and of all the Towns and Places that offer themselves to your View on either side of it. The Road is all the way bounded with two parallel black Lines if includes or hedged on both sides, or else if open, with two parallel dotted Lines, or lastly, if bounded or hedged in one side and open on the other, with a black Line and a dotted Line parallel to it.

The Name of the County, the Road passes through is engraved on each Column.

In the Margin or some other convenient Place of every Page is likewise engraved a Description of the Cities, Boroughs, [with the Arms of all such that have any] Corporations, Market Towns and whatever is remarkable, with figures referring to the Places where they are to be found in the Plan of that Road; but to the Intent that the Reader might readily find out any Place, described in this Book, we have hereunto subjoined an Alphabetical Table of all such Places. And whereas in the whole course of these Roads there are many Places repeated often i the Plan: The Reader must therefore have recourse to the aforesaid Table, to direct him to the Place he wants, it being described only in one.

1/2 CARDIGANSHIRE. / London, Uxbridge, Beaconsfield
3/4 High Wycombe, Tetsworth, Oxford, Islip. Islip, Enston, Morton Broadway.
5/6 Broadway, Pershore, Worcester, Bramyard. / Bramyard Leominster, Presteign.
7/8 Rhayader, Aberystwyth. SUSSEX
9/10 London, Ewell, Leatherhead, Dorking / Billingshurst, Amberley.
11/12 NOTTINGHAMSHIRE. London, Ware, Puckridge.
13/14 Royston, Huntingdon Stilton/Stilton, Stamford.
15/16 Grantham, Newark, Tuxford? Tuxford, Bawtry, Doncaster.
17/18 Wentbridge, Ferrybridge, Tadcaster, York/ York Boroughbridge, North Allerton.
19/20 Darlington, Durham, Chester le Street/Newcastle Morpeth.
21/22 Alnwick, Berwick. MIDDLESEX.
23/24 London, Hounslow, Maidenhead, Reading/Newbury, Hungerford, Marlborough.
25/26 Marlborough, Chippenham, Marshfield/Bristol Axbridge,Huntspil
27/28 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. London, Uxbridge, Amersham, Missenden.
29/30 Wendover, Aylesbury, Buckingham, Banbury/Banbury Stratford, Caughton
31/32 Bromsgrove, Kidderminster, Bridgnorth. Banbury, Campden. GLAMORGANSHIRE
33/34 London, Brentford, Hounslow Slough/ Maidenhead, Henley, Dorchester, Abingdon
35/36 Abingdon, Faringdon, Lechlade / Gloucester Monmouth
37/38 Monmouth, Newport, Cardiff/Llandaff, Cowbridge, Burton
39/40 Burton, Swansea,Llanelly, Kidwelly Haverfordwest,St Davids
41/42 London, Deptford,Dartford, Rochester, Rainham. Description of London on verso
43/44 Sittingbourne, Canterbury, Dover. Part of an Description of London on verso
45/46 London, Romford, Chelmsford, Kelvedon, Colchester, Harwich.
47/48 London, Eltham, Farningham, Wrotham. Part of a description on verso
49/50 Maidstone, Ashford, Hythe. ANGLESEY.
51/52 London, High Barnet, St. Albans, Dunstable, Stony Stratford,Towcester
53/54 Towcester, Daventry, Dunchurch, Coventry, Coleshill, Lichfield
55/56 Lichfield, Rugeley, Stone, Darleston, Nantwich, Tarporley, Chester
57/58 Chester, Hawarden, Northop, Denbigh, Conway Beaumaris, Holyhead
59/60 London, Brentford, Hounslow, Staines, Bagshot. Description of London on verso.
61/62 Basingstoke, Andover, Salisbury.
63/64 Shaftesbury, Sherborne, Crewkerne, Axminster, Exeter, Chidley
65/66 Ashburton, Plymouth, Looe, Foy, Tregony
67/68 Golsenna, Penzance, Lands End. Part of a description of London on verso
69/70 Southwark, Stretham, Croydon, East Grinstead, Newhaven, Brighton, New Shoreham.
71/72 London, Wandsworth, Kingston, Guildford. Godalming Description of London on verso.
73/74 Lippock, Petersfield, Portsmouth, London, Bromley, Sevenoaks, Tunbridge
75/76 Lamberhurst, Newenden, Rye. Part of a description of London on verso.
77/78 Andover, Amesbury, Warminster. Part of a description on London on verso.
79/80 Bruton, East Lidford, Bridgwater, Dulverton
81/82 South Moulton, Barnstaple, Torrington, Hatherleigh, Launceston, Camelford
83/84 Padstow, Columb, Truro, Part of a description of London on verso.
85/86 Chippenham, Bath Wells, Marlborough, Devises, Trowbridge, Wells
87/88 Stilton, Peterborough, Crowland, Spalding Part of a description of London on verso.
89/90 Boston, Sleaford, Lincoln. STAFFORDSHIRE.
91/92 Darleston Bridge, Newcastle under Lyme, Warrington, Wigan, Whittle, Preston Garstang
93/94 Garstang, Lancaster, Bolton, Kendal, Penrith, Carlisle
95/96 SURREY. Guildford, Godalming, Midhurst, Chichester.
97/98 Midhurst, Petersfield, Winchester. DERBYSHIRE.
99/100 Stony Stratford, Northampton, Market Harborough, Leicester, Loughborough, Derby
101/102 Tamesford, Eaton, Stilton, Peterborough. Part of a description of London on verso.
103/104 Market Deeping, Sleaford, Lincoln, Glamfordbridges, Barton.
105/106 Hull, Beverley, Bridlington, Flamborough Head. CAMBRIDGESHIRE.
107/108 Puckeridge, Cambridge, Ely, Downham, Kings Lynn
109/110 MERIONETHSHIRE. Campden, Evesholme, Worcester.
111/112 Tenbury, Ludlow, Bishops Castle, Montgomery. Description of the Fens on verso.
113/114 High Barnet, Hatfield, Baldock, Biggleswade, St. Neots, Oakham
115/116 RUTLANDSHIRE. Puckeridge, Newmarket.
117/118 Thetford, Attleborough, Norwich. BEDFORDSHIRE
119/120 St. Albans, Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering, Rockingham, Oakham.
121/122 Oakham, Melton Mowbray, Nottingham, Mansfield, Rotherham, Barnsley
123/124 Barnsley, Halifax, Skipton, Richmond.
125/126 SHROPSHIRE. Meriden, Birmingham, Dudley, Bridgnorth, Wenlock.
127/128 Shrewsbury, Welshpool. ISLANDS IN THE BRITISH OCEAN
129/130 Bagshot, Farnham, Alresford, Southampton, Salisbury
131/132 HERTFORDSHIRE. Newmarket, Swaffham. 133/134 Fakenham, Walsingham, Wells. Newmarket, Bury St. Edmunds.
135/136 Basingstoke, Stockbridge, Cranford, Blandford, Dorchester, Weymouth
137/138 BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. Colchester, Ipswich, Woodbridge.
139/140 Saxmundham, Beccles, Yarmouth. OXFORDSHIRE.
141/142 Bristol, Chipping Sodbury, Tetbury, Cirencester, Burford, Banbury.
143/144 HEREFORDSHIRE. Bristol, Chepstow, Monmouth.
145/146 Hereford, Leominster, Ludlow, Church Stretton, Shrewsbury.
147/148 Whitchurch, Chester. DEVONSHIRE.
149/150 Bristol, Wells, Glastonbury, Taunton, Wellington, Exeter.
151/152 WORCESTERSHIRE. Bristol, Dursley.
153/154 Gloucester, Tewksbury, Worcester. DORSETSHIRE,
155/156 Bristol, Wells, Glastonbury, Somerton, Crewkerne, Frampton, Weymouth
157/158 Cambridge, St. Neots, Higham Ferrers. Description of Cambridge University on verso.
159/160 Northampton, Rugby, Coventry. EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE
161/162 Carlisle, Jedburgh,, Kelso, Berwick.
163/164 BRECONSHIRE. Chester, Wrexham, Sellatyn, Llanfyllin.
165/166 Llanfair, , Tregynon. Newtown, Llanbedr, Builth Wells, Brecon.
169/170 Dartmouth, Exeter, Silverton, Bumpkin, Minehead.
171/172 PEMBROKESHIRE. St. David's Fishguard, Newport, Cardigan.
173/174 Llanerch, Llanbadern Vawr, Talabont, Machynlleth Dinas Mawddy.
175/176 Bala, Bettws y Coed, Ruthin, , Holywell. Description of Exeter on verso.
177/178 Exeter, Crediton, Barnstaple, Ilfracombe, Bideford, Torrington.
179/180 CORNWALL. Exeter, Tavistock
181/182 St. Ives, Liskeard, Lostwithiel, Truro. DENBIGHSHIRE
183/184 Gloucester, Campden, Stratford, Warwick, Coventry.
185/186 MONTGOMERYSHIRE. Gloucester, Huntley, Ross, Hereford
187/188 Pembridge, Presteign, Montgomery. LEICESTERSHIRE.
189/190 Hereford, Worcester,Droitwich,, Bromsgrove, Solihull, Meriden, Coventry, Leicester
191/192 HUNTINGDONSHIRE. Huntingdon, Erith, Ely, Soham
193/194 Bury St. Edmunds, Needham Market, Ipswich. SUFFOLK
195/196 Ipswich, Norwich, Cromer.
197/198 Kings Lynn, Swaffham, Thetford. Description of the British Ocean Islands on verso.
199/200 Ixworth, Ipswich, Harwich. NORFOLK.
201/202 King's Lynn, Billingford, Norwich, Yarmouth.
203/204 MONMOUTHSHIRE. Monmouth, Abergavenny, Crickhowell.
205/206 Brecon, Llandovery, Llanbedor. LINCOLNSHIRE
207/208 Nottingham, Newark. Lincoln, Market Rasen, Grimsby.
209/210 Oxford, Faringdon, Purton. Description of Oxford University on verso.
211.212 Malmesbury, Bristol, Arms of the Colleges of Oxford University on verso.
213/214 Oxford, Burcester, Buckingham, Bedford, Cambridge.
215/216 Cartouche and 21 College Arms of Cambridge. Map on verso Oxford to beyond Newbury.
217/218 Basingstoke, Alton, Petersfield, Chichester. WARWICKSHIRE
219/220 Oxford, Banbury, Southam, Coventry, Nuneaton, Ashby, Derby.
221/222 BERKSHIRE. Oxford, Abingdon, Great Shelford, Hungerford.
223/224 North Tudworth, Salisbury, Cranborne, Wimborne Minster, Poole. RADNORSHIRE
225/226 Presteign, Builth, Carmarthen.
227/228 GLOUCESTERSHIRE. Salisbury, Burbage, Marlborough.
229/230 Burford, Campden. NORTHUMBERLAND.
231/232 Tynemouth, Newcastle, Hexham, Haltwhistle, Carlisle.
233/234 CAERNARVONSHIRE. Welshpool, Dinas Mawddwy, Dollgelley.
235/236 Harlech, Dolbadern, Caernarvon. LANCASHIRE.
237/238 York, Knaresborough, Ripley, Skipton, Settle, Hornby, Lancaster.
239/240 CHESHIRE. York, Tadcaster, Leeds,
241/242 Rochdale, Manchester, Warrington, Frodsham, Chester, Manchester, Stockport.
243/244 Buxton, Derby. CARMARTHENSHIRE
245/246 Carmarthen, Cardigan, Llanbedr, Aberystwyth.
247/248 ESSEX. Chelmsford, Sudbury.

249/250 Bury St. Edmunds, Chelmsford, Saffron Walden. KENT
251/252 Chelmsford to Maldon,Rayleigh and Dover
253/254 Exeter, Lyme Regis, Description of Dorchester and Lyme Regis on verso.
255/256 Bridport, Dorchester. Plymouth, Dartmouth. WEST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE.
257/258 Ferrybridge, Boroughbridge,Richmond, Barnard Castle, Ferrybridge, Pontefract, Wakefield.
259/260 CUMBERLAND. Kendal, Keswick.
261/262 Cockermouth. Egremont, Cockermouth, Carlisle.
263/264 Alresford,Winchester, Rumsey, Ringwood, Poole, Lymington, Southampton, Winchester.
265/266 FLINTSHIRE. Shrewsbury, Wrexham
267/268 Mold, Holywell. Chester, Flint, Holywell. COUNTY DURHAM
269/270 Whitby, Guisborough, Morton, Durham,Sunderland,Tynemouth, Kingscleer
271/272 WESTMORLAND. York, New Malton, Pickering
273 Whitby, New Malton, Scarborough,Plain on verso