London plotted, plans of London buildings c1450-1720

The London Topographical Society is probably most familiar to London archaeologists and historians as the name behind their 'A-Z' seriesof historical map reprints. As well as a 25% reduction on the excellent historic map series and other publications, LTS members receive at least one new LTS publication every year; this year it is 'London Plotted, plans of London buildings c.1450–1720' by Dorian Gerhold, edited by Sheila O'Connell. The book is a 320 page hardback with colour plates of 197 detailed plans of London buildings, dating from the relatively well known plan of The Charterhouse of c.1450 to previously unpublished plans of 17th and 18th century buildings.

The book is beautifully produced with colour plates on nearly every page, and with a detailed introduction explaining the development of estate plans, the customers, surveyors and their methods, as well as a detailed discussion of plans and London's houses, and the kind of details that can be found in the plans. The range of plans itself is remarkable: individual houses, mansions, almshouses, wharves, markets, inns, churches and Company Halls. Each plan is illustrated with a colour plate, with further illustrations of many of the buildings, and an accompanying text. The location of each of the plans is marked on a copy of Morgan's 1682 map of London, with 'outer' London plans shown on Strype's map of 1720 allowing you to easily check for plans from a specific area.

John and Isaac Olley's 1712 plan of houses in The Minories

As part of LP Archaeology's 100 Minories project I've been working on George Dance's redevelopment of The Minories c1760, and although his plans fall outside the date range of this book, Gerhold does include a detailed 1712 plan by John and Isaac Olley of a mid-17th century brick property on Minories that would have been demolished to make way for Dance's development. 

The planned building is sadly just north of the LP Archaeology 100 Minories excavations, so it isn't a building that we excavated, but it does give a very visual indication of the ground plan, layout and function of the type of buildings we have excavated. The plan is marked with stairs, cupboards and partitions -with brick and timber/plaster being differentiated- and the function of each room indicated. 

Mid 17th century brick buildings at 100 Minories

The value to archaeologists of these historical building plans is immense, especially when they can be tied to excavated buildings and linked with other documentary sources such as leases and probates. In providing a detailed consideration of, and access to, nearly 200 building plans this volume will prove to be a valuable research tool, as well as being an excellent read in itself.

London Plotted: Plans of London Buildings c.1450-1720 by Dorian Gerhold, edited by Sheila O'Connell, Hardback, 320pp, 22 x 30.5 cm. £35