John Adams (cartographer)

[8] In July 1677 it was announced in the London Gazette that John Adams "of the Inner-Temple" had produced "A New Large Map of England full six foot square",[9] enabling merchants and armchair travellers for the first time to see at a glance the "computed and measured miles" between market towns and other significant places.

Also, as Adams observed, "The Space of One hundred years, and the late Civil War hath much altered the face of the Kingdom; many Castles and Ancient Seats have been demolished, and several considerable Houses since erected, Market Towns disused, and others new made".

[11] The resulting Index Villaris, or an Alphabetical Table of all Cities, Market-towns, Parishes, Villages, Private Seats in England and Wales, published in 1680, contains no fewer than 24,000 entries detailing key information about each place; the publication included a copy of the reduced 1679 map.

[note 7] Charles II proclaimed that Adams was to be helped to "make his observations from all the eminent high lands, hills and steeples for placing the cities, market towns, parishes, villages and private seats in their true positions".

Starting from here he noted the angles between observable points (including Glastonbury Tor), and had already covered 7,000 miles into Devon and Cornwall and to "the top zone of the highest hills in Wales"; he asked Hooke to procure two or three telescopes for him, "7 or 8 foot long".

By April 1685 Adams had enlisted the financial backing of several hundred subscribers and "made considerable progress", but needed yet more funds, to which end James II proclaimed his support for "the speedy completing of so good and useful a work".

Evidently struggling to complete his survey and worried by ill-health, in a letter to Archbishop Sancroft in June 1688 Adams wrote that "if I live I resolve ... to do the utmost that lyes in my power for the satisfaction of yor Lordship and the rest of my Encouragers".