A very good example of a VERY RARE and IMPORTANT PLAN OF OXFORD. Ralph Agas (c.1540-1621) produced a magnificent eight-sheet plan of the city of Oxford drawn in 1578 but its publication was delayed by the work he carried out on a similar plan of London. Engraved by Augustine Ryther it finally appeared in 1588 (STC 194.3) and was engraved at the remarkable scale of 40 inches to the mile. Unfortunately it survives in only one poor conditioned example in the Selden Library at the Bodleian, Oxford. It was part of the famous Rawlinson bequest in 1755. A prior owner Thomas Hearne earlier in the same century was aware of 3 examples only which have since been lost.

The first and most important derivative of the Agas plan was by Robert Whittlesey in 1728 in a reduced format although still in two large folio sheets. Whittlesey no doubt worked from one of the three examples known at the time and had a perfect copy of it to work from. His plan is therefore an important record of the original as the sole surviving example is in such a poor condition. It was produced at the request of the University and dedicated to Henry Duke of Beaufort, then 21 years old. The Duke had just commissioned an ornate chest of drawers in Florence which became known as the Badminton Chest and was sold in 2004 for $35 million, it still holds the record for the most expensive piece of furniture ever sold. He is also known for his illegitimate daughter, his only issue, Margaret Burr who married the painter Thomas Gainsborough. The plan is printed by E. Butler and is enhanced by three decorative border panels with 17 vignette views of the Oxford Colleges drawn from John Bereblock in 1566. These views were produced to coincide with Queen Elizabeth’s visit to the city, it is said she greatly admired them. Although the originals have been lost a copy of them was given to the Bodleian Library in 1630. They provide the source material of Daniel Loggan’s ‘Oxonia Illustrata’ 1675. This Whittlesey copper plate was destroyed in a fire at Mr. Nichols’ in 1808. Barber (2007) p. 1655; Hind (1952-55) I pp. 139-41 & pl. 86 (Agas).