A New Map of the most Considerable Plant…

Attractive and scarce map of the English plantations in north America by Edward Wells.  An elaborate title at top left contains a dedication to His Highness William the Duke of Gloucester. The Duke of Gloucester, son of Queen Anne, was attending Oxford where Wells was a teacher of mathematics and geography. Wells included this map in the second edition of his atlas, A New Sett of Maps of Antient and Present Geography and which is identified by the addition of the map number 41 below the title. (see Burden p.501 for editions).

The main portion of the map focuses on the region between present-day Maine and North Carolina. This region was securely English, well populated stretching over 1,000 miles of some of the most fertile and productive land along the coast in North America. Extensive settlements are shown along the Connecticut coast and the northern shore of Long Island. New Albanie stands out on the Hudson River. One interesting inclusion is Green Spring near Jamestown, the plantation home of the late, patriarchal Governor of Virginia, Sir William Berkeley (1606?-1677).

There are five inset maps;

1. Carolina bears an Ashley Lake feeding the May R., Hiltons Head and Charles T. are also present.
2. New Scotland displays the hotly fought over territory, and its key Port Royal taken briefly by Sir William Phipps in 1690.
3. Jamaica divisions and Port Royal marked.
4. Bermuda, Main Land marked, note stating; The Greatest I. is reckoned 18 miles long and three broad.
5. Barbados reckoned 3 leagues long and 5 broad

References; Burden 773, ill. pl. 773, p.501, Moreland p.163

From Wells, A New Sett of Maps of Antient and Present Geography

Collections:
National Library of Australia: Bib ID3547073 (edition not noted but same plate number ’41’)