Map of encampment on Dartmouth Heath, 1780 (Dartford, Kent, UK) 51°25'54"N 00°11'24"E

A map of the encampment on Dartford Heath, 8 June-25 October 1780. American War of Independence (1775-83). Oriented with north-north-east to top (cardinal points).

The area covered extends from Crayford in the north-west to Dartford in the north-east, and from Baldings (in the vicinity of present-day Baldwyn's Church) in the south-west to Wilmington in the south-east. The typical Kent landscape is shown by the regular pattern of trees indicating orchards, and regularly positioned poles representing hop fields.

The encamped regiments, with the colours of their facings in parentheses, are: 52nd Foot (buff); Northamptonshire Militia (black velvet); 65th (white); 59th (white; red was prescribed by the 1768 regulations); Montgomeryshire Militia (blue); East Riding of Yorkshire (buff); Rutland Militia (yellow); Anglesey Militia (blue); Artillery (blue); Carnarvonshire Militia (blue). It appears that although space was allocated for the North Hampshire and Hertfordshire Militias, they may not have arrived.

This is one of 31 maps of encampments which are likely to have been drawn up as a set from original field surveys and draft maps between about 1782 (the last encampment ended on 13 November 1782) and sometime in or after 1784 (the date of Bowles's plan of London, RCIN 734032.am). The original field surveys and draft maps from which they will have been compiled would have been made between 1778 and 1782, according to the actual dates of the encampments. The execution date for the fair drawings of the maps of 1783 or later has, however, been assigned to all the encampment maps, consistent with the date of Paterson's commission as Captain in the 36th Foot, with which rank he styles himself on the title page of the volume.

In: 'Plans of Encampments and Dispositions of the Army in Great Britain from 1778 to 1782. Presented to King George III by George Morrison, Quarter Master General. Drawn by Captain Dan. Paterson, 36.^th Reg.^t Assistant to the Quart. Mast. General.' See main entry under RCIN 734032.

BL Add MS 15533: p.83 PLAN / OF THE / ENCAMPMENT / ON / DARTFORD / HEATH / UNDER THE COMMAND OF / LIEU.^T GEN.^L / SIR RICH:^D PIERSON / from 8.^th June to 25,^th Oct. / 1780. [Bottom right, outside border:] Surveyed by I: W: Green, Assistant to the Quarter, Master General. Watermark: fleur-de-lys in crowned shield, the letters G R below. Notes: oriented with north-north-east to top (cardinal points with magnetic north).

Condition: flat; no fold lines.