MapCarte 88/365: Geological Map of London and its Environs by Robert Mylne, 1871

MapCarte88_mylne

Maps that offer something new and unknown are often those that become classics for what they achieve as much as how they are designed…but the key to their success is they were very much designed to support a specific need. First published in 1856 in a period of great change in the understanding of public health and disease in cities, this was an important map in its day.  Robert Mylne was a Civil Engineer and Architect and knew that a detailed geological map was essential for informing major public works such as improved water supply and sewerage systems for London.

The original version contained only contours to show differences in elevation and though proposals to modernise the sewage system were neglected at the time due to a lack of funds, the Great Stink of 1858 persuaded Parliament of the urgency of the problem.  The map informed the design of an extensive underground sewerage system that drained downstream of the centre of population.

By 1871 the engraved map had been hand coloured to show the underlying geological structure and informed the construction of deep artesian wells and bore holes to supply the city with clean water.  The combination of plan view and cross-section help to tell the story of London’s topography and geology. Without such a map, it would have been impossible to plan the modernising engineering works required. The map is detailed…but only with the required detail. The cross-section provides an indispensable way to visualise the elevation across the city.