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Pont Maps of Scotland, ca. 1583-1614 - History

Mysterious Numerals on Pont, Gordon, and Adair maps by Bob Henery

Many maps by Pont, Gordon, and Adair have numerals written on them, some in a prominent position in the middle of the map, near the top, yet others in a top corner, and some deliberately bleached out making them nigh impossible to read. Jeffrey Stone (1) says of the numerals:

"The numerals seem to bear no relation to Cash's list, nor to the record provided by Gough (1780) of their relative position " in the Advocates' Library ". The origin and meaning of the numerals is a mystery."

It turns out that there are three or more sets of numerals, one related to Gough's list of 1780 (2), one related to Cash's list of 1907 (3), and others whose only known characteristic is that they are bleached. Which numerals are on any given map is rather variable. Pont's map of Clydesdale has three numerals: a prominent 73 top mid left, a very faint bleached 4 (?) just above it, and a 34 top right (Figure 1).

 

Figure 1. Numerals on Pont 34 Clydesdale.

Cash labels this map "Pont 34", and this explains the numeral 34 top right. I cannot explain bleached numerals anyway, so I have set the bleached 4 aside, leaving 73 as the numeral relating to Pont 34 in Gough's list (see the last entry in Table 1).

For other maps, we ignore bleached numerals, and also numerals equating to Cash's map numbers. The remaining numerals are usually prominent, usually near the top middle of the map, and these mysterious numerals I will call "Gough numerals", and write them in bold font. Occasionally the Gough numerals are difficult to read, or may be read in different ways. I have chosen that which best fits Gough's order. For example, 81 could be 18 upside down, so I have choosen 18 for map 2 in opening XV (see Table 1).

The Advocates Library held the maps in a single volume with 50 openings. In Table 1 we list all the maps in the order given by Gough in 1780, with a short version of Gough's description of each map, together with the numeral identified and its location on the map. Generally the numerals in Table 1 form an uninterrupted sequence from 1 to 75. One exception is Gordon 54 in opening XII, a single manuscript with two maps, one numbered 42 (but bleached) and the other 43. These numerals clearly do not belong to the Gough sequence, which otherwise gives numerals to manuscripts. In any case, numeral 42 is attached to another map, Pont 19, in its proper place in the Gough sequence. I would conclude that both numerals 42 and 43 on Gordon 54 belong to the bleached set. Numeral 82 on Gordon 48 is also out of sequence, but the largest numeral in the whole Gough sequence is only 75, so numeral 82 may have some other explanation.

Though the map in the first opening is now missing ("The west coast..."), that is the only casualty since Gough's list of 1780, and it may be significant that the Gough sequence starts with numeral 1 in the second opening. Perhaps the Gough numerals were written after this map was lost. Some numerals are missing in the whole Gough sequence, for example numeral 15, which we would expect in opening XII or XIII. It is possible that this numeral is on the back of a manuscript, or was on a segment of map lost by wear and tear.

The mysterious numerals imply a slight rearrangement compared to Gough's list of 1780, with numeral 75 preceding numerals 72 and 73, for example. This is consistent with Fullarton's observation of 1858 (4) that the maps were no longer in the order given by Gough. It is also consistent with these particular numerals being the handiwork of Cash in 1907, who says that his first step "was to number the maps consecutively in the order in which they were then bound, so that subsequent identification would be easy" (3)

Table 1. Gough's list of maps in the Advocates Library (opening, number, description), the "mysterious" numerals on the maps, and the modern names of the maps.

Gough's list of maps (1780)			Numbers of the maps (? added 1907), and modern map names
Opening	Number in opening	Gough description of map (abbreviated)	Mysterious Numeral	Location of numeral on map	Map name (Cash 1907)
I		West coast, rivers Forth, Tay, in black pencil and ink			Lost
II		Teviotdale, Ettrick, Lothians, Forth, Tay	1	top middle	Gordon 6
III	1	Caithness, Southerland, Ross, Mearns, Murray	2	top middle	Gordon 2
III	2	England divided into Roman provinces,			Gordon 1
III	3	Kyle, Carrick, to Mull of Galloway	3	top middle	Gordon 60
III	4	Shire of Gallaway			Gordon 61
IV	1	Dumfries, Cumnock in Kyle, Selkirk	4	top middle	Pont 35
IV	2	Cantyre			Gordon 39
IV	3	Cunningham from Clyde to Irvine	5	top left	Gordon 59
IV	4	Tweedale and Roxburgh, Clyde to Glasgow			Gordon 56
V	1	Shire of Etterick Forest	6	top middle	Gordon 57
V	2	chart of the entry into river Tay [Marr]			Pont 31
V	3	Maimor in Lochabir Tim Pont	7	top middle	Pont 13
V	4	Lochs Goyll, Lung, and Gherr, part of Lennox			Pont 16
V	5	Glastrie and Ardskeodenish, Loch Fyne			Pont 15
VI	1	Loch Lomound, Loch Loung	8	mid right	Gordon 49
VI	2	Loch Lomound from Glinshyro to Dunbritton	9	top middle	Pont 17
VII		Tay, coast of Fife, Loch Lomond	82	top left	Gordon 48
VIII		Sea coast from Cromarty to Tay	10	top middle	Gordon 4
IX		Part of Orkney, coast from Duncansby to Bamff	11	left middle	Gordon 3
X		north east coast, from Dunrobin to NE of Murray frith	12	top middle	Gordon 18
XI		Adair's Mid Lothian	13	top middle	Adair 9
XII	1	Edderacheules	14	left middle	Pont 3
XII	2	North Fife, Falkland	42	bottom right	Gordon 54A
XII	3	Abernethie, Londores, Mugdrum, and Newburgh	43	bottom right	Gordon 54B
XIII	1	properties of Leys on the river Dee			Gordon 31
XIII	2	Part of Murray containing Elgin, Spynie			Gordon 23
XIV		Cromarty point to Redhead on east coast	16	top middle	Gordon 25
XV	1	outlines of Angusshire	17	top left	Gordon 45
XV	2	Fife by James Gordon, with plans of Cowper	18	bottom left	Gordon 53
XVI		East Lothian, by Adair	19	top middle	Adair 10
XVII	1	Keanrosse 1642 by James Gordon	20	top middle	Gordon 52
XVII	2	Forth, Ben Lomond, Monteith			Gordon 51
XVII	3	coast, from Dunrobin to Findhorn			Gordon 17
XVIII	1	course of Dee river	61	top right corner	Gordon 28A
XVIII	2	Devern in Banffshire, Cabrach to Strathbogie	61	top right corner	Gordon 28A
XVIII	3	Draught of river Dee	62	top right corner	Gordon 28B
XVIII	4	Athol and Rennoch	22	top middle	Gordon 40
XVIII	5	country above Perth			Pont 24
XVIII	6	Course of Tay	38	top right corner	Pont 25
XIX		West Lothian by Adair	23	top middle	Adair 8
XX	1	Part of Argyllshire, lochs Sheill, Dowich and Luong			Gordon 15
XX	2	Loch Aw in Argyleshire from Cheulchurn	24	right middle	Pont 14
XX	3	All river tilt, parts of Badenach, Marr, part of Dee			Pont 20
XX	4	Dee from Birse to Innerchat	25	top left corner	Gordon 29
XXI		Aberdeenshire and adjoining counties	26	top middle	Gordon 32
XXII		Loch Ness, Inverness to Cullen, Spey	27	left middle	Gordon 5
XXIII	1	Yla, Gleney, Lintrathen	28	top middle	Gordon 43
XXIII	2	Findhorn river			Gordon 22
XXIII	3	Loch Lochy to Glencoe	29	top middle	Gordon 37
XXIII	4	Loch Tay, river Tay to Weemys			Pont 18
XXIV	1	Lochaber, lochs Ness, Rennach and Timmell	30	top middle	Gordon 38
XXIV	2	Birse, Dee, Banchories, Tanner			Gordon 30
XXIV	3	Strathardill and Glenshee			Pont 27
XXIV	4	Lochaber, with lochs Ness and Lochie	71	top right corner	Gordon 36
XXV	1	Strathern, from Glen Ammond to Kinkardin	32	top middle	Pont 21
XXV	2	North Esk river	50	top right corner	Pont 30
XXV	3	Prossynn and South Esk rivers	50	top right corner	Pont 30
XXV	4	Renfrewshire, Clyde to Flattertown			Gordon 55
XXVI		Hydrographical map of Forth by J. Adair	34	top middle	Adair 4
XXVII	1	barony of Renfrew	35	top middle	Pont 33
XXVII	2	Cowel, Lochaw, and Lorn			Pont 12
XXVII	3	Tay, from Lyon river to Dunkeld	36	left middle	Pont 23
XXVII	4	Angus, from loch Ordy, to Yla	36	left middle	Pont 23
XXVII	5	Ochell Hills, Ern			Pont 22
XXVII	6	Nether Stormont, Tay at Ruthven			Pont 22
XXVIII	1	Glen Yla, Ruthven to Lintrathen	37	top middle	Pont 28
XXVIII	2	Part of Angus, Airly, Kirk of Alyth	37	top middle	Pont 28
XXVIII	3	outlines of the same	37	top middle	Pont 28
XXVIII	4	Dumbarry, Airly to Cowper Angus	37	top middle	Pont 28
XXVIII	5	lower Buchan, from Kynaird's head	38	top middle	Gordon 33
XXVIII	6	Loch Shinn and environs			Gordon 12A
XXVIII	7	Lochs Imberboll, Quinag, Ben More Assynt			Gordon 12B
XXIX		East Fife from Dysart to Fife's ness by John Adair	39	top middle	Adair 7
XXX	1	Strathbogie and Ainzie	40	top middle	Gordon 26
XXX	2	Rosshire, Tayn Frith to Tarbat ness	41	top middle	Gordon 20
XXX	3	Coygach and Lochbreyn			Gordon 14
XXX	4	Glenelg, loch Carroun and Kiserness			Gordon 14
XXXI	1	river Garry, part of Loch Eyracht	42	top middle	Pont 19
XXXI	2	Cathenesia			Gordon 9
XXXII	1	Draught of river Charrron, from Tim Pont (back)	43	top middle	Gordon 19
XXXII	2	Edera Chules between Strathnavern and Assyn			Gordon 11
XXXII	3	Sutherland, Strathuskel, Strathcharron	45	bottom right	Gordon 10
XXXII	4	west coast, from river Meaty to loch Owrin			Gordon 13
XXXIII		Strathern, Stormont by Adair 1683	46	top middle	Adair 2
XXXIV	1	Lochs Garry, Lochie, Ness to Inverness	47	top middle	Pont 5
XXXIV	2	friths of Tayne, Cromatie	48	top middle	Gordon 16
XXXIV	3	NE coast, Buchan Ness, Inverugie to Ythan			Gordon 35
XXXV	1	Strathdon, river Don, to Foulford	49	right middle	Gordon 27
XXXV	2	Part of Aberdeenshire, Inverugie, Pitsligo, Ythan, Fyvie			Gordon 34
XXXVI		Stirling, Forth, down to West Lothian by Adair	51	top middle	Adair 3
XXXVII	1	Strathnavern, from loch Bellachchorn	52	left middle	Pont 2
XXXVII	2	County of Murray	53	right middle	Pont 8
XXXVIII	1	Buchan, from Ythan by Tim Pont	54	right middle	Pont 10
XXXVIII	2	west coast, Loch Ewe, Loch Broom, Gruinard	55	bottom middle	Pont 4
XXXVIII	3	Glen Elchegg (i.e. Elg)	55	bottom middle	Pont 4
XXXVIII	4	back part of Rosshire	55	bottom middle	Pont 4
XXXIX		west part of Scotland, Clydsdail, Nithsdail by Adair	56	top middle	Adair 11
XL	1	Dee from Kincardin O'Neil to Aberdeen	57	left middle	Pont 11
XL	2	Dureness, Westmoyn, Kintail	58	left middle	Pont 1
XL	3	Angus, south Esk, Prosyn and Yla rivers, Lintrathen			Pont 29
XLI	1	Strath Braen, lochs Monarr, Mayly, Benachan	59	left middle	Gordon 21
XLI	2	Ben Lawers, Dee, Tanar, Strathavon			Pont 7
XLII		The sheriffdome of Ettrick forest by Adair	60	top middle	Adair 12
XLIII	1	Strathdon, river Don, lochs Awin and Builg, river Avin			Gordon 24
XLIII	2	coast between Spey and Diverne	62	right middle	Pont 9
XLIII	3	Part of Buchan, Banff, from Spey to Deveron			Pont 9B
XLIV	1	Abernethy and course of Spey	63	top right	Pont 6
XLIV	2	course of river Marke or north Esk	64	top middle	Gordon 44
XLV		Orkney by Adair	65	top middle	Adair 1
XLVI	1	Clackmananshire	106	top right corner	Adair 6
XLVI	2	Clackmananshire, more beautifully done	68	right middle	Adair 5
XLVII	1	parts of Perthshire and Angus, Carse of Gowry, Yla	69	bottom right	Gordon 41
XLVII	2	Part of Perthshire, Carse of of Gowry and Angus			Pont 26
XLVIII	1	Nithsdail, described by Tim Pont 1644	70	top middle	Gordon 62
XLVIII	2	Description of Merse (Berwickshire)			Gordon 58
XLVIII	3	Eskdail, Eusdail	71	top middle	Gordon 64
XLVIII	4	Eskdale, Eusdail, and Liddisdail, Solway frith			Gordon 63
XLIX	1	part of Angusshire with Yla, Lintrathen loch	75	top middle	Gordon 42
XLIX	2	Tay from Perth, Fife coast, Eden, Leven waters			Gordon 47
XLIX	3	Stirlingshire and Lennox, Daldowie on Clyde			Gordon 50
XLIX	4	Stirlingshire and Lennox, but fuller			Pont 32
L	1	east coast, from Orkney, Caithness, to Cocket			Gordon 7
L	2	Tay, up to Perth, St Andrews	72	top right	Gordon 46
L	3	Shetland, Fair Isle			Gordon 8
L	4	Clydesdale, confines of Tweedale	73	top middle	Pont 34

(1)	The Pont Manuscript Maps of Scotland, Jeffrey C. Stone, 1989, pp 12-15. Beware two typos in Appendix I: Pont 35 = IV/1; and Gordon 59 = IV/3.
(2)	Gough, R., British Topography (London, 1780).
(3)	Cash, Scottish Geographical Magazine, p 575, (1907).
(4)	Fullarton, J., ed., Topographical Account of the District of Cunningham, Ayrshire (Glasgow, 1858) , page xxvii.