Devon County Archives acquires unique Tudor map – History

The only known original Elizabethan map of Kingsbridge has been acquired by the South West Heritage Trust after more than four centuries in private hands. With funding from the International Friends of Libraries of £17,691 ($24,220), the trust arranged a private sale a week before the rare document was auctioned for £18,428 ($25,230). It is now publicly accessible to researchers at the Devon Heritage Center in Exeter.

The aerial view of Kingsbridge, known as the “Kingsbridge Platte,” dates from 1586 and is the oldest known map of Kingsbridge. The map was drawn with watercolor pens on parchment. Six different colors were painted on the vellum and are still vivid to this day. This is particularly important considering that until the original is auctioned in November 2025, the map will only be known through a black-and-white reproduction published by Maps. gentleman’s magazine 1796.

The obverse of the document is titled: “Trevi Platt, New Ring Road, on Five Stone Pillars, Between Kingsbridge’s Cathedral Styles.” On the reverse is a simpler ink label: “Kingsbridge Map.” Both inscriptions are contemporary and were written at the time the map was drawn. It depicts the important buildings of the Tudor town, including the 13th-century parish church, the pillory and the timber-framed market house (then known as ‘Chepe House’), where the manorial court was held. The area is dominated by stone houses, which was unusual at a time when most houses were still made of wood, with blue slate and red brick roofs. The most exquisite residence was that of merchant George French. Behind his house are outbuildings and an exquisite walled garden with pavilions and arches.

It is a commissioned estate map documenting the estate of Sir John Petre. Sir John Petre, son of Sir William Petre, came from humble beginnings as a tanner’s son and became Secretary of State to King Henry VIII, King Edward VI and Queen Mary. He served on Queen Elizabeth I’s Privy Council and as deputy to Secretary of State Robert Cecil while in Scotland, before eventually retiring due to ill health. Despite his Catholic faith, Pater managed to survive the torrent of four successive Tudor courts unscathed and was the only Privy Councilor of the period whose service was not interrupted temporarily or permanently by imprisonment, exile, house arrest, forced retirement or execution.

His success was undoubtedly due in large part to his flexible approach to religion. He was willing to weakly sell his Catholic faith when the wind was blowing his way, and he made a fortune dissolving monasteries. His seat at Ingatestone Hall in Essex was a monastic estate he purchased for a song, and he also acquired large tracts of land from the former monastic estate in Devon, some 36,000 acres, close to where his family had lived since the 14th century.

Kingsbridge is less than 20 miles south-west of Torbryan, Sir William’s birthplace, and was part of the Devonshire estate acquired after the Dissolution. The family is known to have employed skilled draughtsmen to document their Ingatestone estate, so it is likely that they employed one of these artists to do the same for Kingsbridge. John Petre was promoted to the title of 1st Baron Petre in 1603, and he inherited his father’s estate upon his death in 1572. His estate, called Norton, can be seen on the map across the mill creek.

Scott Pettitt, Director of Archives and Local Studies at Devon:

“Contemporary visual representations of the provincial towns of the Elizabethan period are very sparse. While several famous depictions of London, Oxford and Cambridge survive, illustrations of the smaller towns of this era are rare.”

Geordie Greig, President of Friends of National Libraries:

“16th century manorial maps are extremely rare and this view even rarer. This is a special example. It is an absolute win for the South West Heritage Trust to acquire it and we are delighted to be able to help the people of Devon to preserve this map.”