This is the first map of the county of Northumberland to be produced at a scale of one inch to the mile and the only one issued in the eighteenth century. It was surveyed by Lieutenant Andrew Armstrong and his son Mostyn John Armstrong; both were cartographers although only the son published any atlases. Their focus was on Scottish related material with the notable exception of the large scale county surveys of the neighbouring county of Durham published the previous year and two further of Lincolnshire in 1779 and Rutland in 1780.

The survey for the county took place between 1766 and 1769 and reputedly cost £516. It is the first map of the county to name the ‘Roman Wall’ and the first to accurately recall its termination at Wallsend and not Newcastle. Detailed plans of both Newcastle and Berwick are included. An Explanation helps to identify the Market Towns, Parishes, Villages Farm Houses, Cottages, Churches, Seats, Windmills and Ruins. Also indicated are Coal Pits and Lead Mines along with natural features such as Hills, Pikes, Woods and Parks etc. Various types of road are also shown. As stated in the title the northern portion of Durham is also included. The whole is engraved by Thomas Kitchin and finished off with an extremely ornate title cartouche. A dedication lower right corner is to the Duke of Northumberland who ordered six copies of the map. Despite some inaccuracies of longitude it was awarded 50 guineas from the Society of Arts. Provenance: bookplate of John Clayton pasted inside front cover. Harley, Brian ‘The Re-Mapping of England, 1750-1800’ in Imago Mundi 19 p. 63; Rodger (1972) 336.