New opening hours: limited staff resources mean that unfortunately it is not possible for us to open the search room at all times and that it is always necessary to book in advance. We are now closed on Tuesdays, but whenever possible will endeavour to facilitate a visit on other weekdays between 9.30am and 4.45pm.
Photo © Geremy Butler
Richard Horwood's map of London: the cartographer Richard Horwood had sought the support of the Society in 1791 for a new map of London, which aimed to show and number each individual building in the cities of London and Westminster, the borough of Southwark and some adjacent areas. Although the Society did not feel it could give an award until the map was finished, Horwood was able to go on and produce his map, which was completed and printed in 1799.
This image from the map shows the area around the Strand and Covent Garden, with the coloured line indicating the parish boundaries. Although it should cover the RSA's house, in what was then called John Street, this was in fact omitted from the map - Horwood did not quite succeed in featuring each individual building, but what he did achieve is nevertheless remarkable.
Horwood's completed map was assessed by the Society in 1803 and it was recommended that he be given a bounty of fifty guineas. He left a copy of the map with the Society and this has remained with it since then. It is now held in the Archive, and is available to readers.
A more detailed account of Horwood's map is to be found in an article by Elizabeth Baigent, Richard Horwood's Map of London: 18th century cartography and the Society of Arts, in the Society's Journal, Volume 142, December 1994, which is also available to readers. Elizabeth Baigent also contributed the entry for Horwood in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
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