Collecting
Ogilby invented the 17th-century equivalent of sat nav,’ explains antique map specialist Tim Bryars. ‘We call them strip maps because they follow the route of individual roads. There are compass roses for reference, but the maps don't run north to south, or even east to west. The whole focus is the road and the landmarks you might be passing on either side: you should be going up a hill or down a hill; there should be a windmill off to the left; you should be crossing heathland here. They are enormously detailed.’
Earlier county mapsfor navigation. They were an expression of royal authority, of dominion over the land, and were bought by aristocrats and other wealthy people for their libraries.
