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26. Plan of the Three Towns drawn by S Elliott

26.1. Title: Plan Of The Towns & Harbour Of Plymouth, Dock, Devonport, Morice-Town, Stoke, And The Environs, In The County Of Devon.
Date: 1820.
Size: 375 x 515 mm.
Imprint(s): Survey'd Drawn & Published by S Elliott. Landsurveyor &c Orchard Place Plymouth.
Signature(s): Engraved by John Cooke, Stonehouse, Plymouth, 1820.
Location(s): WDRO[1], DoC[2], KB. 
 
Comments: The second plan published in 1820, this is only one of two maps of the town(s) where we can be sure of the surveyor. T Richards of Totnes was responsible for the 1810 Dock plan and S Elliott is given here as Land Surveyor and the publisher of the map.[3] He also surveyed and drew the plan of Edgcumbe Park (24A). In this map all three towns are shown for the first time since the 1817 chart but this plan clearly shows the urban area whereas the chart was possibly for mariners.
The area of Dock is similar to that in Cooke´s previous plans but the Torpoint Ferry is included. No coastal shading here but a small amount elsewhere. Areas such as Stoke and Stonehouse are clearly shown for the first time.
The area of Plymouth itself is similar to that in Cooke´s Borough plan of 1820 (25) but whereas the former is an attractive representation with the majority of streets named the second is a surveyor´s map with letters for each street and feature and a large Reference panel. In many ways a simpler plan even omitting the New Town or the railway, for example. The Copper Plate Print Off., on the other hand, is given its own identification letter (h in Stonehouse). 


26.2. DEVONPORT replaces DOCK in both the title and as the heading to Reference section B (as a consequence Morice-Town in the title has been rewritten slightly further to the right). Date removed by Cooke´s signature. Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway added from LARY (was LAIRA in earlier edition) across to Rope Walk at Sutton Pool. The line of the Intended New Road to Lary Bridge added as well as the Railway Granite Works. Generally more streets named.   DevA .


[1] This map was reproduced in facsimile in 2008 published by Plymouth Library Services; however, the original is not listed in their on-line catalogue. Following libraries have a facsimile copy; NLW, NLS and CUL. Utrecht University has a copy, dissected and laid on linen. Devon Archives state 2 is (OM B/PLY/1825/ELL).

[2] Sarah Bendall in Dictionary of Land Surveyors has the entry The Water of Tamar (Plymouth, Stonehouse Dock, Morice Town & Stoke) with a street plan and index. The map is reputed to be in the Duchy of Cornwall collection but cannot be traced. Despite the date of 1792-96 given, it is probably an edition of this map.

[3] John Cooke never used the term surveyor for himself. On his 1824 map we do find geographer in the title. However, WDRO used to have some papers relating to the Woollcombe family of Hemerdon (710/1031) and noted John Cooke, engineer and surveyor in their catalogue. These papers have been returned to the family.  The 1824 chart (31) was also among the Woollcombe family papers (710/1025). The National Archives lists this as a Hydrological Chart.


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