Map of encampment on Roborough Down, 1781 (Roborough Down, Devon, UK) 50°27'15"N 04°05'41"W

A map of the encampment on Roborough Down, 7 June-6 November 1781. American War of Independence (1775-83). Oriented with east to top (cardinal points).

With the exception of a group of buildings named 'Jump', there is no settlement shown on this map. The camp is situated on the west side of the Plymouth-Tavistock Road. The encamped regiments, with colour of facings in parentheses, are: 1st or East Devonshire Militia (yellow); Shropshire Militia (green); Leicestershire Militia (yellow; in 1779 they were reviewed in white jackets, their new uniform not yet furnished: Lawson p.156); Oxfordshire Militia (black, having changed from green in 1779); 3rd or South Devonshire Militia (yellow, having changed from green in 1781); 2nd or North Gloucestershire (blue); 50th Foot (black).

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.101 PLAN / OF / THE ENCAMPMENT ON / ROBOROUGH DOWN / UNDER THE COMMAND OF / MAJ: GEN: GREY / from 7.^th June to 6.^th Nov.^r / 1781. Scale: Scale bar: Scale of Yards [126 mm =] 1000. Watermark: J WHATMAN. Notes: Oriented with west to top (cardinal points).

Condition: no fold lines. Verso: four circular brown patches, one to each corner, perhaps the residue from paste indicating that this map was at one time pasted down on some other support before being removed and bound in this volume.