The Grange and Laybourn Castle the Seats of William Saxby Esq.

Location

Country: Egypt
City: Cairo
Place: British Embassy

Thomas Badeslade was a topographical artist and mapmaker, based in London. He produced several drawing of country houses for Dr. John Harris’s ‘History of Kent’ (1719) and for other similar publications. He later drew maps for ‘Chorographia Britanniae: or, A New Sett [sic] of Maps of all the Counties in England and Wales’, published as a ‘pocket volume’ in 1754. An advert for the publication describes Badeslade as a ‘surveyor’. He was also concerned with issues around the draining of the Fens and wrote ‘The history of the ancient and present state of the navigation of the port of King's Lyn, and of Cambridge’ (1725). In addition ‘Some Short and Plain Considerations’ by Badeslade were published in the ‘Manchester News-Letter’ in c.1728.
John Harris I, engraver and draughtsman, was probably born in Northamptonshire. Early in his career he produced mainly maps and plans. One of his earliest engravings is a ‘Survey of the Parish of Stepney and Stebunheath’, Middlesex, made up of ten sheets. He engraved similar multi-sheet maps of areas in Ireland, Scotland and Cambridgeshire. From 1711, he made architectural and bird’s-eye views. It seems he was also employed as a surveyor, drawing properties to order. Harris’s best known works were for ‘The History of St Paul’s Cathedral in London’ (1716). Although he produced views of American prospects for publisher William Burgis, there is no evidence that he visited the US. Later in his career he illustrated antiquarian county histories.

Places

England, Kent

Subjects

carriage, horseback, topography, tree, horse, coat of arms, field, road, formal garden, country house/mansion

Materials & Techniques

engraving, coloured engraving

Artist

Thomas Badeslade
John, I Harris

Title

The Grange and Laybourn Castle the Seats of William Saxby Esq.

Date

Medium

Coloured engraving

Acquisition

Purchased from Baynton-Williams, February 1977

GAC number

12875