Scotland: Mapping the Nation

Winner of the Saltire Society Research Book of the Year

Whilst documents and other written material are obvious resources that help shape our view of the past, maps too can say much about a nation's history. This is the first book to take maps seriously as a form of history, from the earliest representations of Scotland by Ptolemy in the second century AD to the most recent form of Scotland's mapping and geographical representation in GIS, satellite imagery and SATNAV.

Compiled by three experts who have spent their lives working with maps, Scotland: Mapping the Nation offers a fascinating and thought-provoking perspective on Scottish history which is beautifully illustrated with complete facsimiles and details of hundreds of the most significant manuscript and printed maps from the National Library of Scotland and other institutions, including those by Timothy Pont, Joan Blaeu and William Roy, amongst many others.



Chris Fleet studied Geography at the University of Durham. He is Senior Map Curator in the National Library of Scotland. In 2010, he was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society.

Margaret Wilkes is a Member of the Steering Committee of the Scottish Maps Forum, a Director of The Royal Scottish Geographical Society, Convenor of its Collections & Information Committee and Joint Chairman of its Edinburgh Centre.

Charles W.J. Withers is Professor of Historical Geography at the University of Edinburgh. He is a Fellow of the British Academy, the Royal Society of Edinburgh and The Royal Scottish Geographical Society.



'Scotland: Mapping the Nation reaches far beyond the country's borders, for there is much wisdom of broader appeal lurking within its pages'



'Mixes lavish illustration with academic rigour and engaging anecdotes'



'much more than a visual treat . . . elegantly written, thoroughly referenced and exsquisitely presented'



'Some books are simply so magnificent in their scope and execution you know they are destined to become classics from the moment you open the cover and begin to turn the pages. "Scotland: Mapping the Nation" is one of those books'



'This beautiful and fascinating book is a real eye-opener. It is utterly absorbing: when you have read it you will never think of maps, or perhaps of Scotland, in the same way again'



'This is a beautiful and fascinating book . . . The wealth of illustrations and their variety, all with excellent descriptions, make every chapter a delight to read'



'Few books are awaited with such eager anticipation. The authors [of this book] write of being 'enthralled' by their subject. It shines from every page and so does their scholarship'



'The book is beautifully presented, with more than enough maps to interest historians from all disciplines. It achieves a good balance of easy reading and detail and is something readers will, as I have done, go back to again and again'



'This book is a pleasure to read and will be much valued by all those interested in Scotland, maps, or both.'



'Anyone who enjoys poring over old maps will be thrilled by this lavish publication . . . colourful, intricate, incredibly detailed images show how a country with an uncertain outline has been transformed into the modern industrialised nation of today'