William Camden (1551-1623) historian, topographer, antiquary, and herald, wrote Britannia, a comprehensive history and topography of Great Britain and Ireland county by county. It was first published in Latin in 1586, but he added to it in subsequent editions throughout his lifetime. In 1610 it was translated into English by Philemon Holland.

The 1607 edition included a full set of engraved county maps, based on the work of Christopher Saxton and John Norden, and in 1695 these were replaced by a new set by the cartographer and publisher Robert Morden. (We use these frequently in this website.)

Camden’s aim was to relate the history of Roman Britain (hence the name Britannia) to the present day terrain. He travelled extensively in pursuit of information, and visited Yorkshire and Lancashire in 1582, hence this first-person account of the view of the Lake District fells from the battlements of Lancaster Castle.

Britannia continued to be highly popular in later centuries, and updated translations into English were produced in 1695 and 1789. It was also cannibalised by the Dutch cartographers Joannes Blaeu for his Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Amsterdam, 1645) and in Jan Jansson for his Novus Atlas (Amsterdam, 1646). It must have served as an inspiration for would-be travellers wishing to find out more about their own country.

Camden also published a history of the reign of Elizabeth I (Annales) at the request of Lord Burleigh, and Remaines of a Greater Worke, Concerning Britaine, a series of essays ‘on the inhabitants thereof, their languages, names, surnames, empreses, wise speeches,’ including proverbs, ‘poësies, and epitaphes’. This is a mine of interesting information, some of which had been presented in papers to the Elizabethan Society of Antiquaries, of which he was a founder member. There were also several smaller works, including teaching textbooks, from his time as headmaster of Westminster School. He left his books to his friend and fellow antiquary Sir Robert Cotton, whence they have ended up in the British Library.

Robert White, engraving (1691) after portrait by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger William Camden
Image © Meg Twycross