Travels of Cosmo III: illustrations

In 1669 Cosimo de Medici III travelled through various countries, including England. He had in his retinue an artist to record the places he saw and Count Lorenzo Magalotti, who was entrusted with creating a written account. The illustrated manuscript was later deposited in the Laurentian Library, Florence, where the section on the English leg of his tour attracted the interest of English visitors.

In the 19th century a translation was made along with Indian ink copies by Thomas Hosmer Shepherd of the original drawings. Those copies are now in the British Library Department of Manuscripts (Add MS 33767b). Scaled down engravings from them illustrate the published translation: Count L. Magalotti, Travels of Cosmo the Third, Grand Duke of Tuscany, through England during the Reign of King Charles the Second 1669 (1821), which can be read online.

Few copies of this work were ever published. So to make the images more readily available, almost all have been scanned here. The exceptions are the prehistoric monument Maiden Castle in Dorset, two additional views of Audley End, and the full panorama of London and Westminster, only part of which is shown. Click on the thumbnail images for an enlarged image.

 
Althorp in 1669

Althorp, Northants.

Audley End in 1669

Audley End, Essex

Axminster in 1669

Axminster, Devon

Basingstoke in 1669

Basingstoke, Hants.

Billingbear House in 1669

Billingbear House, Berks.

Bishop's Stortford in 1669

Bishop's Stortford

Brackley in 1669

Brackley, Northants.

Brentford in 1669

Brentford, Greater London

Cambridge in 1669

Cambridge, Cambs.

Chelmsford in 1669

Chelmsford, Essex

Colchester in 1669

Colchester, Essex

Dorchester in 1669

Dorchester, Dorset

Egham in 1669

Egham, Surrey

Epping in 1669

Epping, Essex

Exeter in 1669

Exeter, Devon

Hampton Court in 1669

Hampton Court

Harwich in 1669

Harwich, Essex

Hinton St George in 1669

Hinton St George, Somerset

Ipswich in 1669

Ipswich, Suffolk

Kinsale in 1669

Kinsale, co.Cork

Westminster in 1669

London and Westminster

New Hall in 1669

New Hall, Essex

Newmarket in 1669

Newmarket, Cambs.

Northampton in 1669

Northampton

Okehampton in 1669

Okehampton, Devon

Oxted in 1669

Oxted, Surrey

Oxford in 1669

Oxford

Plymouth in 1669

Plymouth

Rochester in 1669

Rochester

Salisbury in 1669

Salisbury

Star Castle in 1669

Star Castle, Hugh Town,
St Mary's, Scilly Isles.

Sutton Scotney in 1669

Sutton Scotney, Hants.

Thorndon Hall in 1669

Thorndon Hall, Essex

Banqueting House, Whitehall

Whitehall, London

Wilton in 1669

Wilton House, Wilts.

Windsor Castle in 1669

Windsor Castle