Rare atlas with possible link to Sir Francis Drake goes on display

A very rare atlas with a possible link to Sir Francis Drake has gone on display at the Central Library as part of Plymouth's first ever History Festival.

The 1520 edition of 'Ptolemy's Atlas', published by the renowned German cartographer Martin Waldseemuller, includes 27 maps produced from the original ideas of Claudius Ptolemy, the 'Father of Cartography'. Ptolemy lived in Alexandria in Egypt during the second century and based his maps on the journeys of the many navigators and traders who passed through the port.

The atlas also includes 20 maps of the 'modern' world created by Waldseemuller, whose map-making was founded upon European exploration at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. The maps include 'Tabula Terra Nove' (map of the New World) showing a single continent named 'Terra Incognita' (Unknown Land), later named America. The map is thought to have been derived from information provided by Christopher Columbus and is known as the 'Admiral’s Map'.

The atlas was donated to Plymouth's library service anonymously, along with many thousands of books, during a post-war appeal. Recognising its rarity, Mr W Best Harris, then City Librarian, publicised the discovery widely but no previous owner came forward.

However, during the 1960s, an elderly lady living in Brighton sparked off quite a mystery that to this day remains unsolved. The lady contacted Mr Best Harris and told him she remembered colouring in maps in an old book while visiting Buckland Abbey, previously the home of Sir Francis Drake, as a young girl. She was visiting Lady Seaton, the last of the Drake descendants to live at Buckland Abbey. Curiously, two of the maps in the atlas have been coloured with crayons.

Central Library Manager Shaun Standfield said: "While no-one knows for sure if the atlas was used by Sir Francis Drake, it is certain that he would have taken an atlas with him on his voyages and that this copy, which came to light just a short distance from his home, is one of only a few that would have existed in England during Drake's lifetime."

Deputy Council Leader Peter Smith said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for people to see a rare and important object that is not normally on public display. The atlas in itself is a wonderful book, but its possible link to Drake and the fact he might have used it on his voyages makes it even more special to the city of Plymouth."

Ptolemy's Atlas can be viewed at the Central Library throughout May, with different pages being opened each day.

The display is one of almost 200 events taking place for the Plymouth History Festival, each highlighting and celebrating the city's unique heritage.