The Ewart Map Collection (c. 1567-1896) is a collection of 168 original maps and facsimiles of printed and manuscript maps of Ireland.
Ewart 1.1 1572 - Eryn. Hiberniae Brittannicae Insvlæ Nova Descriptio. Irlandt.
Ewart 2.2 1662 - Vltonia; Hibernis Cuj-Guilly; Anglis Vlster
Ewart 3.2 1592 - A Representation of the Siege of Enniskillen Castle in February, 1593
Ewart 4.1 1685 - The Ground Plan of Belfast
The Ewart Map Collection is one of 3 core map collections held by Special Collections at Queen's University Belfast. It was originally assembled by Belfast collector and linen merchant, Lavens M. Ewart J. P. (1845-1898). It was formally presented to Queen's University in 1954 by Ewart's grandchildren, Dr. Vivian Lutwyche, Dr. Violet Lutwyche, and Miss Lenore Dawson. A number of complementary maps have been added to the collection since the original deposit.
There are 4 main categories in the collection. These are:
Ewart 1 - Maps of Ireland
44 maps of Ireland (c. 1567-1895) in 3 parts. Ewart 1.1 includes 19 maps (c. 1572-1895), Ewart 1.2 consists of 15 maps (c. 1567-1797), and Ewart 1.3 is made up of 10 maps (1805-1893).
Ewart 2 - Maps of the Provinces and Counties of Ireland
36 maps of the provinces and counties of Ireland (c.1572-1895) in 2 parts. Ewart 2.1 includes 24 maps (c.1580-1895) and Ewart 2.2 houses 12 maps (c.1572-1857).
Ewart 3 - Maps of Individual Places within Ireland
19 maps of individual places in Ireland (c. 1592-1890) in 2 parts. Ewart 3.1 includes 11 maps (c. 1601-1890); Ewart 3.2 contains 8 maps (c. 1592-1760) and an explanatory booklet.
Ewart 4 - Maps and Plans of Belfast
69 maps plans of Belfast (c. 1570-1896) in 4 parts: Ewart 4.1 includes 28 maps and plans (c. 1660-1896); Ewart 4.2 consists of 14 maps and plans (c.1680-1896); Ewart 4.3 contains 8 maps and plans (c. 1781-1886); and Ewart 4.4 houses 19 maps and plans (c. 1570-1896).
Each category is organised by size and by date.
Digital Special Collections & Archives provides online access to 37 maps from Ewart 1 - Maps of Ireland.
This collection houses notable entries from Gerardus Mercator, John Speed, Willem Blaeu, William Petty, and Daniel Augustus Beaufort. It boasts a wide assortment of maps including manuscript maps, facsimiles of ancient maps, sea charts, ordnance survey sheets, municipal maps and plans, and siege maps.
The Ewart Map Collection is a particularly strong source of material for the study of Irish (and English) history, politics, geography, and cartography primarily for the period 1567-1896. Many of the plans, particularly within Ewart 4 - Maps and Plans of Belfast, will be of interest to researchers of architecture and urban development.
The collection is made up of 168 maps of various sizes, stored in 11 large archival folders.
The maps have been individually measured in centimetres (height x width) using the neatline. Please consult the listing for further details. Any damage or other special characteristics have also been noted in this document.
Collection Dates
Created
Collected
Coverage
Additional Details
Custodial Information
Queen’s University Belfast has legal ownership of this collection. Please consult with staff as to matters of copyright and permission to publish.
The collection was originally assembled by Belfast collector and linen merchant, Lavens M. Ewart J. P. (1845-1898). It was donated to Queen's University in 1954 by Ewart's grandchildren, Dr. Vivian Lutwyche, Dr. Violet Lutwyche, and Miss Lenore Dawson. A number of complementary maps have been added to the collection since the original deposit.
Accrual
The majority of this collection was donated in 1954.
However, this is a growing collection, and any items which fall within the subject matter of the collection will be considered for addition.
Please see our Donations Policy if you are interested in adding to this collection, or contact specialcollections@qub.ac.uk if you have maps you believe would be well suited to the Ewart Map Collection.
