John Speed

John Speed (c. 1552–1629) was an English cartographer and historian whose county maps and atlas The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine shaped early modern representations of Britain.

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The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine: John Speed’s 1611–12 atlas of Great Britain and Ireland, combining county maps with historical material. This atlas gathered the county maps that made Speed’s work famous.
Christopher Saxton: An English cartographer whose 1579 atlas mapped the counties of England and Wales. His pioneering county survey preceded and influenced the market for Speed’s atlas.
Copperplate Engraving: A printmaking process that incises lines into a copper plate to transfer images onto paper. Engraving enabled the fine lines and ornament in Speed’s printed maps.
John Ogilby: An English publisher and cartographer whose Britannia road atlas appeared in 1675. Ogilby’s later atlas shows the continuing demand for detailed maps of Britain.
Speed's County Maps: A series of maps of English and Welsh counties published in John Speed’s atlas. Their detailed layouts and town plans define Speed’s cartographic legacy.
George Humble: A London publisher and printseller who issued John Speed’s major atlas and history. Humble financed and published the books that brought Speed’s maps to print.
Map Cartouche: An ornamental frame on a map that often contains its title, dedication, or scale. Cartouches gave Speed’s maps space for titles, patronage, and decorative imagery.
British National Identity: A sense of shared political and cultural belonging among the peoples of Britain. Speed’s title and historical framing presented the kingdom as a connected mapped whole.
The History of Great Britaine: John Speed’s 1611 history of Britain, tracing its past through legendary and historical accounts. Published alongside his atlas, it reveals Speed’s work as a historian.
Jodocus Hondius: A Flemish engraver, cartographer, and publisher who worked in Amsterdam and London. Hondius engraved many maps for Speed’s atlas.