John Speeds Map of Essex 1611 : Colour Print of County Map of Essex 1611 by John Speed

Along the left side of the map are portrayed the coats of arms of the families of the Earls of Essex, totalling seven.

In the bottom right hand corner is a birds' eye view of the city of Colchester, with all of its streets and notable buildings being detailed by a legend.

Above the plan of Colchester, three Roman coins are illustrated, depicting the heads of the Roman Emperor Constantine and his parents.

Essex back then was a fairly wooded county, and all of its forests, including Hatfield and Waltham are marked. London and the Thames, complete with sailing ships, are shown at the bottom of the map.

The detail gone into on this map is superb, making it a lovely present for anyone from the county.