One of the LANDMARK MAPS OF SCOTLAND. Moir states ‘All earlier maps of Scotland were superseded in 1750 by the largest and best map yet produced’. James Dorret (fl. 1750-61) was employed as a valet by the 3rd Duke of Argyll. He claimed to be a surveyor and on the basis of this map he was well qualified to do so. At the Duke’s expense he produced this magnificent map of Scotland. It is generally considered to be the first printed map in which ‘a really good outline becomes available, and this map is the basis of practically all the maps until Arrowsmith … an immense improvement on everything that preceded it.’ (Moir). Even his peers valued the map, the cartographer Robert de Vaugondy claimed in the preface of the Atlas Universel, 1757, that ‘it exceeds the preceding one [Elphinstone’s] in all respects’. Arrowsmith wrote in 1809 that ‘It long remained the standard map, nor was its reputation unmerited, being on a larger scale and better constructed, than any former map.’

In 1745 Scotland was still recovering from the failed rebellion of 1745. The Army had complained of the lack of proper maps for the Campaign and undoubtedly this map was the response. The Duke, as virtual ruler of Scotland until his death in 1761, was able to gain access to the very latest information being gathered. It is only natural then that the map should display in such great detail the roads and forts, but Dorret also took great care to record Roman roads, Viking remains and country houses. It is engraved to the scale of 4 miles to the inch, the largest used to date on a map of Scotland. Northern Scotland is not shortened as so often before and drew on the work of the Military Engineers surveying the Highlands from 1747-55, they were not made available to other map publishers until 1805. For the first time Lewis and Skye are depicted with some accuracy, Lewis for the first time not having a flat top. The source for the latter must have been Murdoch Mackenzie’s unpublished chart which is virtually identical. It was considered so IMPORTANT that the King of England bought the plates to keep them out of circulation. This is the only printed map to be attributed to him although it spawned a number of derivatives. There is only one known state of this extremely rare and important map of which only one decent example could be traced in auction in the last 30 years. Only four copies traced on Copac. Moir pp. 91-3 & 188; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).