A seventeenth century map of Great Grimsby and the nearby haven recording attempts to drain the region. As the title concludes: ‘As Freshny and Piper creek and proposed to pass this the Haven of that Town For better Improvement of their Navigation’. Once a thriving port in the Middle Ages, the population of the area had dropped dramatically as the significance of trade dropped off. The region was prone to silting and over the years trade became harder and moved largely to nearby Hull. The antiquary Abraham de la Pryme recorded in 1697 that efforts were being made to unblock the haven using diversionary methods and drainage.

This map records just such efforts in detail, even illustrating below how it is physically done. The town of Great Grimsby is illustrated lower left with the Minster displayed. The River Freshny flows across the top with the marshes featuring in the centre. A central legend describes the methodology involved. Unfortunately, unsigned the drawing is highly skilled. The detail of the marking of the sea is extremely neat and an ornate accurately drawn ship is offshore in the River Humber. The paper used as marked with a Strasbourg lily and the letters ‘CDG’. Included are photocopies or two plans in the British Museum dating from 1795 and 1812 which detail some of the ensuing work and help to identify the region. Provenance: Donald Hodson collection (1933-2016), carto-bibliographer. Churchill (1985) 412.