1783 Taylor & Skinner Maghera, Magherafelt, Tobermore, Desertmartin, Ballynascreen Ireland Road Map
Published in 1783, this hand-coloured antique Ireland road map is Map 28 from the second revised edition of Taylor & Skinner’s Maps of the Roads of Ireland. The survey was undertaken in 1777, first published in 1778 and corrected for the 1783 edition.
The engraved heading, “From Dublin,” identifies this sheet as part of the continuing northern route from the capital. Connecting roads are shown towards Cookstown, Derry and neighbouring settlements, linking the principal road with the wider network across this part of Ulster.
Prominent places shown include Maghera, Magherafelt, Tobermore, Desertmartin and Ballynascreen, all within historic County Londonderry. Desertmartin appears on the engraving as “Desart-martin”, while Tobermore is shown in the historic form “Tubbermore.”
Magherafelt appears as an important road junction with routes towards Maghera and neighbouring settlements. Nearby properties include Killyfaddy and Drumbawn, together with roads through the surrounding hill country.
Further north, the route passes Desertmartin and continues towards Tobermore. The River Moyola is prominently shown, together with Fort William, Ballynascreen Church, country houses, river crossings and local roads.
Maghera is shown with several roads meeting around the settlement, including routes towards Newferry, Bellaghy and Derry. Nearby glebe lands, estates, hills and waterways provide additional detail throughout the sheet.
The combination of towns, churches, river crossings, roads and named properties makes this map particularly interesting for County Derry / Londonderry local history, Irish genealogy and family-history research.
Identified as Map 28 in Taylor & Skinner’s Maps of the Roads of Ireland, it forms part of their extensive late-18th-century survey of Ireland’s principal roads.