Other 18th-/19th-century conflicts
Maps, views and documents from 19 wars
Map of the siege of Gibraltar, 1727 (Gibraltar, British Overseas Territory) 36°08'00"N 05°21'00"W
1727 or laterPen, ink and watercolour on three sheets of paper, joined; laid down on coarse linen; edged with cerise silk ribbon; one pink linen tie to left edge [no ties missing]; three brass rings to top edge for hanging [none missing] | Scale: 1:2,400. | RCIN 727022
This plan shows the Spanish trenches and assaults on the north side of the fortifications; lines of fire from the Spanish and British batteries are drawn. General David Colyear, 1st Earl of Portmore (bap.1657-1730), who ordered the making of this map, had been appointed Governor of Gibraltar in 1713. Formerly of Jacobite sympathies, he later embraced the Hanoverian cause and was sent to assume command at Gibraltar in April 1727, remaining there until the siege was raised in June.
Additional text: [bottom centre, in retangular panel, a key, 1-46, to the lines, batteries, features of the fortifications, and the note that ‘The prick’t Red lines express / what was demolish by the / Enemy’s Canon &C’. Items 22-46 refer to the Spanish works:] Explanation for the / Enemys Works.
For further reading, see:
T.F. Henderson, ‘Colyear, David, first earl of Portmore (bap. 1657, d.1730)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008.
Condition: three fold lines; old triangular tear, left, mended when laid down on linen; considerable brown discolouration. Verso: brown staining; heavy surface dirt along right edge, consistent with the map having been stored rolled and tied.
Lewis Marcel (active 1723/4-1740) (draughtsman) [top left, in title panel, following on from title:] Drawn upon the Spot by his Lordship’s the E: of Portmore’s Command / by Lewis Marcel of Colonel Henry Harrison’s Regim:t
Subject(s)
Army-SpainArmy-GBWatermark: Fleur-de-lys in crowned shield, a ‘4’ suspending the monogram WR below; countermark: IV
Condition: three fold lines; old triangular tear, left, mended when laid down on linen; considerable brown discolouration. Verso: brown staining; heavy surface dirt along right edge, consistent with the map having been stored rolled and tied
Scale: 1:2,400. Scale bar: Scale of 200 feet to an inch [125 mm =] 1000.
69.1 x 146.0 cm (image and neatline)
71.4 x 147.9 cm (sheet)
Manuscript title:
A / PLAN OF THE NORTH SIDE / OF GIBRALTAR / With the Enemys Approaches, as they were the / 12.th day of June, O.S. 1727. which was the day / of the Cessation of Arms. [top left, in rectangular panel]
Additional text:
[bottom centre, in retangular panel, a key, 1-46, to the lines, batteries, features of the fortifications, and the note that ‘The prick’t Red lines express / what was demolish by the / Enemy’s Canon &C’. Items 22-46 refer to the Spanish works:] Explanation for the / Enemys Works.
Annotations:
George III heading [black pencil, bottom left:] Military [black pencil, bottom right:] Gibraltar 1727.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [top left, black pencil:] G-12; [bottom right, blue biro on 1980s red-printed Royal Library label:] VII 22 Gibraltar.
K. Mil. dummy sheet:
Title ink: A drawn Plan of the North Side of Gibraltar with the enemy's approaches as they were the 12.th / of June OS. 1727 - drawn by command of the Earl of Portmore by Lewis Marcel. 3 sheets / A Roll ... [black pencil:] 5 Table 2.d At foot of page, George III heading: Gibraltar 1727 [black pencil, in a modern hand:] ‘in folder: too big’.
Watermark: BUDGEN & WILMOTT 1810.
Size: 47.0 x 32.7 cm (sheet).George III catalogue entry:
Gibraltar A drawn Plan of the North side of Gibraltar, with the Enemy’s Approaches as they were the 12.th of June O.S. 1727; drawn by command of the Earl of Portmore by Lewis Marcel. 3 sheets.
Subject(s)
Gibraltar, British Overseas Territory (36°08'00"N 05°21'00"W)
Bibliographic reference(s)
T.F. Henderson, ‘Colyear, David, first earl of Portmore (bap. 1657, d.1730)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008
Page revisions
25 May 2024
Current version
