Other 17th-century conflicts
Printed and manuscript maps, prints and views of 22 seventeenth-century wars
Siege of Londonderry, 1689
A New Map of the / CITY of LONDONDERRY / with its Confines; / As it was beseiged by the IRISH ARMY in the Year 1689
1689 or laterEtching and engraving; printed from three copperplates on three sheets of paper, joined | Scale: 1:7,400 approx. | RCIN 724041.1.a
The map shows the areas around the city of Londonderry with the Jacobite encampments. On 16 April General Hamilton proposed a treaty for the surrender of the town. The author of this map, Captain Francis Nevill of Belturbet, was one of two Derry men who were sent by Hamilton to discuss terms of surrender with James II. On his return he was, however, not allowed back into the town and was captured by James II's men and taken to Dublin, from where he later escaped. Returning to Derry once again, he was made a burgess of the city in December 1689 and became well known for having made this map of the town. He later worked as a surveyor and engineer, planning a canal between Lough Neagh and Newry. In 1692 he became responsible for the construction of the new Town House, or Exchange (see RCIN 724041.1.d).
It is possible that this map, together with the other three items at RCIN 724041.1, were bought together at an auction. The annotations on the versos (except for RCIN 724041.1.b) suggest that they were consecutive lot numbers and were bought for prices varying between 1s and 4s.
Insets: [top right:] EAST END OF THE CHURCH
Size: 16.1 x 19.0 cm (neatline).
[Bottom right:] THE N. W. PROSPECT OF THE CITY
Size: 13.0 x 39.2 cm (neatline).
Dedication: [top, right of centre, in oval cartouche decorated with leaves and strapwork, and surmounted by the coats of arms of (from left to right) [Wyck], Capell, and Duncombe:] To their Excellencyes / HENRY Lord CAPELL Baron of / Tukesbury, S.r CYRILL WYCH Kn.t, & / WILLIAM DUNCOMBE Esquire; Lords / Justices and Generall Governours of IRELAND / This Map is humbly Dedicated / by Edwin Sandys.
Additional text: [bottom left, in rectangular panel, a key, a-g to buildings and batteries:] A Description of things / on this side the water [top left, in cartouche representing draped material, an image of a fish:] This Fish was taken on y.e N:W: / Side of y.e Kay of Derry on y.e Lords / day while the people were at Church / by a Ship boy not long before the Shuting y.e Gates; It was 4 foot long / 2 foot broad & 5 foot 3 inches from / point to point of the finns;
For further reading, see:
A. Boyer, The history of King William the Third. In III Parts, London, 1702, vol.2, p.453.
P. Wauchope, ‘Hamilton, Richard (d.1717)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online edn, Jan 2008.
K. Newmann, ‘Frances Neville (c.1648-1727)’ in Dictionary of Ulster Biography (visited 30 October 2016).
Condition: three fold lines; cracked along central fold; two small tears to bottom edge. Verso: brown stains; induced discolouration.
Francis Nevill (c. 1648-1729) (surveyor) [top centre, following on from title, in title cartouche:] Exactly Survey’d by Cap:t FRANCIS NEUILL.
Edward Sandys (d. 1708) (engraver, printer and publisher) [top left, in oval cartouche below three coats of arms: left, those of the City of London; right, those of the City of Londonderry and top, those, probably, of the bishop of Derry, with the motto of Derry below:] Printed by Edw: Sandys / and are to be Sold at his / House in Stephens / Greene Dublin
Watermark: Fleur-de-lys in shield, crown above, a ‘4’ suspending the scrolled letter W below; countermark: indistinct, a name in a cartouche
Condition: three fold lines; cracked along central fold; two small tears to bottom edge. Verso: brown stains; induced discolouration
Scale: 1:7,400 approx. Scale bar: A Scale of one Mile [217 mm =].
48.8 x 116.9 cm (image and sheet)
cropped (platemark)
Printed title:
A New Map of the / CITY of LONDONDERRY / with its Confines; / As it was beseiged by the IRISH ARMY in the Year 1689. [top centre, in a cartouche representing draped material held aloft by two winged putti]
Insets:
[top right:] EAST END OF THE CHURCH
Size: 16.1 x 19.0 cm (neatline).
[Bottom right:] THE N. W. PROSPECT OF THE CITY
Size: 13.0 x 39.2 cm (neatline).Dedication:
[top, right of centre, in oval cartouche decorated with leaves and strapwork, and surmounted by the coats of arms of (from left to right) [Wyck], Capell, and Duncombe:] To their Excellencyes / HENRY Lord CAPELL Baron of / Tukesbury, S.r CYRILL WYCH Kn.t, & / WILLIAM DUNCOMBE Esquire; Lords / Justices and Generall Governours of IRELAND / This Map is humbly Dedicated / by Edwin Sandys
Additional text:
[bottom left, in rectangular panel, a key, a-g to buildings and batteries:] A Description of things / on this side the water [top left, in cartouche representing draped material, an image of a fish:] This Fish was taken on y.e N:W: / Side of y.e Kay of Derry on y.e Lords / day while the people were at Church / by a Ship boy not long before the Shuting y.e Gates; It was 4 foot long / 2 foot broad & 5 foot 3 inches from / point to point of the finns;
Annotations:
George III heading: Londonderry, 1689.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [along the bottom edge of each plate, ink:] N10964 4s [a lot number or price?]; [top left, ink:] Londonderry; [top, right of left plate, ink:] 79.
George III catalogue entry:
Londonderry A New Map of the City of Londonderry with its Confines, as it was besieged by the Irish Army in the year 1689: exactly surveyed by Capt. Francis Nevill: published by Sandys. 3 sheets: with References and Views of the Cathedral and Exchange.
Subject(s)
Londonderry, Northern Ireland, UK (54°59ʹ53ʺN 07°18ʹ33ʺW)
Bibliographic reference(s)
A. Boyer, The history of King William the Third. In III Parts, vol. 2, London 1702, p. 453
K. Newmann, ‘Frances Neville (c.1648-1727)’ in Dictionary of Ulster Biography (visited 30 October 2016)
P. Wauchope, ‘Hamilton, Richard (d.1717)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online edn, Jan 2008
Page revisions
14 March 2024
Current version
