The map on nine sheets is on the superb scale of two inches to the mile. Even the later Ordnance Survey was only published at one inch to the mile. This is one of only a handful of county maps done at such a scale in the eighteenth century and is the largest scaled map of the county to date. Jean Rocque died in 1762 before the map was published but most of the survey work was clearly done. Indeed, the style is so similar to his earlier engravings it must be thought that Rocque did engrave much of it and that it was completed by Peter Andrews (fl.1763-82) alluded to in the title; ‘By the late John Rocque … Compleated and Engrav’d by Peter Andrews’.

It was first published posthumously by his widow, Mary Ann Rocque (fl.1762-73) c.1768. This third state is identified by the addition of Battersea (opened 1771) and Richmond (opened 1776) bridges. The date of c.1775 is also supported by the name of William Lock as owner from 1774 of Norbury Park to the south of Leatherhead. One curious fact about the map is that it is oriented to magnetic north, not true north. Quite why one would do that on a map of such a small area is not quite understood. Did travellers really use the compass when passing through the county!

Jean Rocque (c.1704-62), to use his native name, was a Huguenot émigré who at an early age settled in England. By 1734 he was a surveyor, engraver, and publisher. His work is renowned for its beauty as well as its accuracy and several important large-scale maps were produced by him. Amongst them are only four large scale county maps, the first was of Shropshire in 1752 followed by Middlesex, 1757, Berkshire 1761, and Surrey posthumously in c.1768.

The very large scale of two inches to a mile was only used on thirteen pre-1800 county maps, one inch to a mile being more favoured. The larger scale allows considerably more topographical detail than usually found. Examples keyed include walls, pale boundaries, roads with gates, roads ‘without hedges’, foot paths, gardens, other different forms of ground including heaths, commons, marshes, grass and ploughed land. Rivers are shown with locks, mills, bridges, rivulets and ponds. This example is with its original marbled paper slipcase with bookseller’s label of William Faden who it is believed may have acquired this and other stock upon the death of Mary Ann Rocque. Provenance: Ron Price 1997; Clive A. Burden Ltd.; private English collection. Baynton-Williams (2022) Rocque 141; Rodger (1972) 460; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).