Christopher Saxton
Encyclopedia
Christopher Saxton was an English cartographer, probably born in the parish of Dewsbury
, in the West Riding of Yorkshire
, England around 1540.
Saxton grew up in the hamlet of Dunningley, near Tingley
in the parish of Whitkirk
. As a young man he was employed as a servant of John Rudd
, the vicar of Dewsbury and Thornhill
, a keen cartographer who passed his skills to Saxton. In 1570 Saxton began a survey of the whole of England and Wales on the commission of Lord Burghley
. This was a significant undertaking at the time, and yet by 1574 the first plates had been engraved and in 1578 the survey was complete. The maps produced set the standard for cartographers to follow, and base their own maps on.
He died around 1610.
Dewsbury
Dewsbury is a minster town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Huddersfield and south of Leeds...
, in the West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
, England around 1540.
Saxton grew up in the hamlet of Dunningley, near Tingley
Tingley
Tingley is a settlement in West Yorkshire, England, forming part of the parish of West Ardsley and of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough.It is situated midway between Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford but is considered part of Morley...
in the parish of Whitkirk
Whitkirk
Whitkirk is a suburb of east Leeds, situated between Cross Gates to the north, Austhorpe to the east, Killingbeck to the west, Colton to the south-east and Halton to the south-west...
. As a young man he was employed as a servant of John Rudd
John Rudd (cartographer)
John Rudd was a Tudor cartographer and clergyman.In 1561 he was given two years' leave from his duties as Vicar of Dewsbury and Rector of Thornhill to travel the country with the objective of mapping England...
, the vicar of Dewsbury and Thornhill
Thornhill, West Yorkshire
Thornhill, is a village in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England. Thornhill was absorbed into Dewsbury County Borough in 1910. It is located on a hill on the south side of the River Calder, and has extensive views of Dewsbury, Ossett and Wakefield...
, a keen cartographer who passed his skills to Saxton. In 1570 Saxton began a survey of the whole of England and Wales on the commission of Lord Burghley
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley , KG was an English statesman, the chief advisor of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her reign, twice Secretary of State and Lord High Treasurer from 1572...
. This was a significant undertaking at the time, and yet by 1574 the first plates had been engraved and in 1578 the survey was complete. The maps produced set the standard for cartographers to follow, and base their own maps on.
He died around 1610.