An antique county map of Oxfordshire first published c.1787, republished 2018 and hand laid onto 100% natural linen cloth John Cary (1754 - 1835) was an English cartographer, engraver and map seller prominent in London during the late 18th century and early 19th century. Originally produced using copper plates, and fine engraving, Cary's maps are highly detailed and easily readable.
Villages, towns, and cities labelled include Banbury, Deddington, Chipping Norton, Woodstock, Oxford, and Henley.
Oxfordshire is an inland county which, during the Saxon heptarchy, belonged to the kingdom of Mercia in the province of Cantebury, and in the diocese and circuit of Oxford, containing 435,200 square acres, or 680 square miles; is 45 miles long, 26 broad, and 190 miles in circuit, being divided into 14 hundreds, 280 parishes, and 92 vicariages; having one city Oxford, whch gives the title of Earl to the Harley family, is a university City of high estimation, containing 20 colleges and 5 halls, wherein upwards of 3000 students complete thier education. It has also 12 market-towns, viz. Woodstock, which gives the title of Viscount to the Bentinck family; Burford which gives the title of Earl to the Beauclerk family; besides Banbury, Chipping Norton, Henley, Witney, Charlebury, Deddington, Bicester Tame, and Watlington; and 451 villages. It sends 9 members to parliament, 2 for the county, 1 for Banbury, 2 for Oxford city, 2 for the universty, and 2 for Woodstock; pays 10 parts of the land-tax, and provides 560 men to the national militia. It's principal rivers are the Thames, Cherwell, Isis, Tame, Swere, Clim, Rea, Oke, Windrush, Evanlode, and Sorbrook. The most remarkable places are the Chiltern-Hills. Whichwood-Forest, Astrop-Wells, Rollrich-Stones, and several other antiquities. This county produces rich pastures, corn, wood, cattle, game, and fruits of very kind; and the rivers fine fish. Its cheif manufacture is coarse woollens and blankets. The air is healthy and the soil dry, abounding with streams of excellent water. There are mineral springs as Aston and Somerton. An canal goes from Oxford in a northerly direction to Warwickshire, which is of considerable advantage to the county, particularly Oxford.