Wow! What a book! I love maps.
Cumbria: 1,000 Years of Maps by Bill Shannon is a feast for the eyes. In its 256 large format pages it sets out (probably) every map that has ever shown Cumbria, starting with the first mention of the county in a map from 1050.
It’s the kind of book you just pick up and open at any page. Each map is shown in full colour, including some close up details, along with the author’s fascinating insights into every map.
Bill Shannon is an academic with a passion for maps (cartophile?) and this is his magnum opus. There were some delays in publication and an event at Verey Books in Pooley Bridge was cancelled, which was a shame. But it was definitely worth the wait.
I’m looking forward to thumbing through it as the nights draw in for autumn.