Kuerden Maps of Cartmel
Dublin Core
Title
Kuerden Maps of Cartmel
Subject
A series of hand drawn maps of the Cartmel peninsular, c.1684
Description
Files DDX 194-33, DDX 194-33rev, DDX 194-35, DDX 194-35rev and DDX 194-36 are part of a series relating to the roads of Cartmel parish.
Files DDX 194-46, DDX 194-48, DDX 194-49, DDX 194-50 and DDX 194-50rev are part of a series relating to the boundaries of Cartmel parish.
These ten maps are the working papers of a surveyor, thought to be Richard Kuerden, of Kuerden near Preston. A physician by training, he began the task of compiling material for a history of Lancashire with Christopher Towneley of Carr Hall, near Burnley.
The surveyor set out to map the whole of the Cartmel peninsula in two groups of surveys, mapping both the roads and the administrative boundaries. Presumably he intended one day to link the two sets into a single map of the whole parish, which extends from Windermere to Morecambe Bay.
It is not known whether he mapped the roads first or the boundaries, but assuming the latter, he would have set out each day, probably with an assistant or two, and laid out long survey lines marked by poles placed by his assistant, measuring the distance from one ‘station’ to the next using either a surveyor’s chain or a ‘way-wiser’, and measuring the angles between stations, probably using a ‘circumferentor’ or surveyor’s compass. As he worked, he would have measured the ‘offsets’ between his straight line and the twists and turns of the coast.
Many of the maps are laid out on special mapping paper, divided up into squares and concentric circles, onto which the surveyor entered his measurements, angles and notes, using a quill pen and ink. Starting at Grange, he worked his way round the coast, then up the Leven, then alongside Windermere, then across to the Winster valley, and down the valley back to his starting place, a distance of perhaps sixty kilometres. Separately, he travelled all the roads of the parish, probably staying in Cartmel each night, and setting out each day with his equipment and assistant, measuring as he went, and noting the names of the occupiers of the various properties along the way.
Files DDX 194-46, DDX 194-48, DDX 194-49, DDX 194-50 and DDX 194-50rev are part of a series relating to the boundaries of Cartmel parish.
These ten maps are the working papers of a surveyor, thought to be Richard Kuerden, of Kuerden near Preston. A physician by training, he began the task of compiling material for a history of Lancashire with Christopher Towneley of Carr Hall, near Burnley.
The surveyor set out to map the whole of the Cartmel peninsula in two groups of surveys, mapping both the roads and the administrative boundaries. Presumably he intended one day to link the two sets into a single map of the whole parish, which extends from Windermere to Morecambe Bay.
It is not known whether he mapped the roads first or the boundaries, but assuming the latter, he would have set out each day, probably with an assistant or two, and laid out long survey lines marked by poles placed by his assistant, measuring the distance from one ‘station’ to the next using either a surveyor’s chain or a ‘way-wiser’, and measuring the angles between stations, probably using a ‘circumferentor’ or surveyor’s compass. As he worked, he would have measured the ‘offsets’ between his straight line and the twists and turns of the coast.
Many of the maps are laid out on special mapping paper, divided up into squares and concentric circles, onto which the surveyor entered his measurements, angles and notes, using a quill pen and ink. Starting at Grange, he worked his way round the coast, then up the Leven, then alongside Windermere, then across to the Winster valley, and down the valley back to his starting place, a distance of perhaps sixty kilometres. Separately, he travelled all the roads of the parish, probably staying in Cartmel each night, and setting out each day with his equipment and assistant, measuring as he went, and noting the names of the occupiers of the various properties along the way.
The Cartmel Boundary Maps
DDX 194-49:
The surveyor began his work at station A (bottom left), near where Grange Railway Station now is. The distance to station B, Humphrey Head is marked as 2 miles, 7 furlongs and 32 perches. The angle between Grange, Humphrey Head and station C, on Winder Moor, is 60 degrees 00 minutes. Near the centre of the sheet, the surveyor has noted the angle between Lancaster Castle and Piel Castle as 88o 40’. This allows us to work out exactly where he was when he took the measurement, standing on a small hill called Holme, on Winder Moor. Notice that south is at the top of this sheet
DDX 194-48: The surveyor continued on round the coast near Holker Hall, from station F to station O. Holker Hall is not named, but near Gothers Head Hill, a road leads to it, marked as ‘Esq. Prestons’. Much of this coastal area has since been reclaimed from the sea when the Furness Railway was built. West is at the top of this sheet. Note how the surveyor has made little calculations in the margins.
DDX 194-46: We have now jumped to the area north of Backbarrow, and stations Ii to Mi, after which the surveyor stops numbering his stations, but carries on through Newby Bridge to Lake Windermere, noting the ‘Cartmell Fells’ to his right. Note that among the householders named is one Wid[ow] Scotson. Once again, as he worked, the surveyor has used the edges of the paper for his calculations. On this sheet, north is at the top.
DDX 194-50: We have now jumped again, and crossed over to the Winster Valley, working south from Witherslack Bridge to within sight of Holme Island, near Grange. The surveyor has taken bearings on the north-east end of Holme Island (332o) and the other end too (340o 20’), which will allow him eventually to correctly place it on his map. Note Castle Head, occupied by Roger Kilner. He has misspelled it at first, and corrected himself. There are quite a few crossings out and ink-blots on this sheet.
DDX 194-50rev: This is on the back of the previous sheet, and just records the last stretch from Holme Island down to “Where wee began neer ye Grange”, where he has taken a last bearing to Humphrey Head, to check that his whole map ‘joins up’ the way it should. (It doesn’t! He has made a few mistakes in his bearings along the way, which would have had to be adjusted before he could have finished his map.) South is again at the top. Note what is probably his thumb print, in a big ink blot.
DDX 194-49:
The surveyor began his work at station A (bottom left), near where Grange Railway Station now is. The distance to station B, Humphrey Head is marked as 2 miles, 7 furlongs and 32 perches. The angle between Grange, Humphrey Head and station C, on Winder Moor, is 60 degrees 00 minutes. Near the centre of the sheet, the surveyor has noted the angle between Lancaster Castle and Piel Castle as 88o 40’. This allows us to work out exactly where he was when he took the measurement, standing on a small hill called Holme, on Winder Moor. Notice that south is at the top of this sheet
DDX 194-48: The surveyor continued on round the coast near Holker Hall, from station F to station O. Holker Hall is not named, but near Gothers Head Hill, a road leads to it, marked as ‘Esq. Prestons’. Much of this coastal area has since been reclaimed from the sea when the Furness Railway was built. West is at the top of this sheet. Note how the surveyor has made little calculations in the margins.
DDX 194-46: We have now jumped to the area north of Backbarrow, and stations Ii to Mi, after which the surveyor stops numbering his stations, but carries on through Newby Bridge to Lake Windermere, noting the ‘Cartmell Fells’ to his right. Note that among the householders named is one Wid[ow] Scotson. Once again, as he worked, the surveyor has used the edges of the paper for his calculations. On this sheet, north is at the top.
DDX 194-50: We have now jumped again, and crossed over to the Winster Valley, working south from Witherslack Bridge to within sight of Holme Island, near Grange. The surveyor has taken bearings on the north-east end of Holme Island (332o) and the other end too (340o 20’), which will allow him eventually to correctly place it on his map. Note Castle Head, occupied by Roger Kilner. He has misspelled it at first, and corrected himself. There are quite a few crossings out and ink-blots on this sheet.
DDX 194-50rev: This is on the back of the previous sheet, and just records the last stretch from Holme Island down to “Where wee began neer ye Grange”, where he has taken a last bearing to Humphrey Head, to check that his whole map ‘joins up’ the way it should. (It doesn’t! He has made a few mistakes in his bearings along the way, which would have had to be adjusted before he could have finished his map.) South is again at the top. Note what is probably his thumb print, in a big ink blot.
Creator
Ascribed to Dr Richard Kuerden (1623-90?)
Source
Lancashire Archives DDX 194
Publisher
Lancaster University
Date
1684
Contributor
Dr Bill Shannon
Rights
Reproduced by courtesy of Lancashire Archives, who retain all rights over this image. No further reproduction is permitted without written permission of Lancashire Archives.
Type
Map
Coverage
Seventeenth century
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
Maps
Files
Collection
Citation
Ascribed to Dr Richard Kuerden (1623-90?), “Kuerden Maps of Cartmel,” Local History Resources for Schools, accessed April 20, 2024, https://regionalheritage.omeka.net/items/show/67.
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