After Christopher Saxton's death (1542-1610), the plates for his atlas of England and Wales were used to publish editions in 1645 (William Web), 1665 (unknown publisher), c1689, and c1693 (Philip Lea). On Philip Lea's death in 1700, his widow, Anne, continued the business. The date of Anne Lea's death is unknown, but on 5 August 1730 the Daily Journal carried an advertisement:

"To be sold by Auction, On Friday the 14th Instant... All the Copper Plates belonging to the Estate of Mrs Anne Lea, deceased, late of Cheapside... with the County Maps of Great Britain and Ireland, many of them done from an actual Survey thereof...".

"For many years George Willdey advertised his stock regularly in the newspapers, and almost from the start he sold maps... Evidently Willdey decided to enlarge his range of maps by bidding at the Lea sale of 1730, and among his purchases were the old Saxton plates. The first Willdey advertisement to be discovered mentions his new acquisition appeared in the Daily Post 3 February 1731/2:

The 70 maps of one Sheet each are as good as ever were done of the Size, most of them are actual Surveys, they contain... all of the Counties of England and Wales.

The one-sheet maps were sold singly at 4d. each. There is no mention of the county maps bound as an atlas with a title-page in this or any of the numerous advertisements for the maps which appeared in the following five years until Willdey's death in 1737... [However] it is unlikely that this enterprising retailer, the 'most noted Toyman in Europe' would have long overlooked the possibility of offering a county atlas and it seems reasonable to suppose that the atlas was made available at around the same time as the loose maps, in 1732" (Hodson).

Following George Willdey's death the business was carried on by Thomas Willdey - though whether this was his son or his brother (both unhelpfully named Thomas) - with Thomas continuing to sell the Saxton maps separately until his death in 1748. Although the exact date is uncertain, it is probably at this point that the plates were acquired by Thomas Jefferys. They were certainly in his possession after 1746, as the only known example with a title title page, describes Jefferys as Geographer to the Prince of Wales, a position he took up in 1746. The title also bears his address at: Red Lyon Street - he moved from this premises to Charing Cross in 1750.

The plates would continue to be in Jefferys' possession up to his death, in 1771, when they were acquired by their final owner Cluer Dicey and Co.

The present example confirms to Hodson 184, though lacks the Saxton map of England and Wales. The work also lacks a title page - though none of the extant examples bear one either - two in the BL, and the National Library of Wales. The title page referenced by Hodson is mentioned by Whitaker and bound into an example of a Saxton Willdey atlas in his possession.

All extent examples are incomplete: British Library Map C.21.e.12 lacks the map of Yorkshire; British Library deposit no. 1234 lacks map of Northumberland; and the National Library of Wales' example lacks maps of Devon, Essex, Northumberland, Suffolk, and Yorkshire.

All the maps have Willdey's imprint removed. The present map of Sussex, Surrey, and Kent is in the a slightly earlier state to the one listed by Hodson; with the names of Surrey, Sussex, and Canterbury amended, but with Philp Lea's imprint still present.

List of maps

1. [BERRY, William] The Grand Roads of England, Shewing All the Towns you Pass thorough and in what Shire they are in with the Reputed distance between Town & Town in Figures with a Mark for the Post-towns and Market-towns and what Day of the Week the market is. [London, 1679 but c1749]
2. OGILBY, John. An Actuall Survey of Middlesex. [London, 1674 but c1749] Imprint erased. Morgan fialing to find support for Ogilby's county atlas of England and Wales sold the only 3 completed maps (Kent, Essex, and Middlesex) before 1689. They were in the possession of Philip Lea along with a plan of London. Lea imprint removed.
3. SAXTON, Christopher. A Map of Essex, newly revised & Amended by P. Lea. [London, c1749]
4. SAXTON, Christopher. Sussex, Surry and Kent by C. S. Corrected & Ammended with many Additions by Phil Lea [London, c1749]
5. SAXTON, Christopher. Oxford, Buckingham, Bark-shire. By C. S. Corrected and Amended with many Additions by P: Lea. [London, c1749].
6. LEA, Philip. A Map of the Isle of Wight, Portsea Halinge... [London, c1749]. Willdey's imprint erased.
7. SAXTON, Christopher. Hampshire by C. Saxton Corrected & many Aditions by P. Lea. [London, c1749].
8. SAXTON, Christopher. Glocester-shire Described by C. S. Corrected and Amended with many Additions by P. Lea. [London, c1749].
9. [WILLDEY, George. after] John SELLER. Hertfordshire Actually Surveyed and Delineated by John Seller Hydrograher to the King. [London, c1749]. Imprint of George Willdey removed.
10. SAXTON, Christopher. Norfolfk Described by C. Saxton Corrected and Amended with many Additions of Roads &c. By P. Lea. [London, c1749].
11. SAXTON, Christopher. Suffolk Described by C. Saxton Corrected & Amended with many Additions as Roads &c. By P. Lea. [London, c1749].
12. SAXTON, Christopher. Wiltshire w[i]th Salisbury Citty & stone heng described Ano. 1689. [London, c1749].
13. SAXTON, Christopher. Dorestershire, Described by C. Saxton Corrected and Amended with many Additions as Roads &c. P. Lea [London, c1749].
14. SAXTON, Christopher. Sommersetshire Described by C. Saxton... P. Lea [London, c1749].
15. SAXTON, Christopher. Devon-Shire Described by C. Saxton... P. Lea [London, c1749].
16. SAXTON, Christopher. Cornwall Described by C. Saxton... P. Lea. [London, c1749].
17. SAXTON, Christopher. Pembrockshire Discribed by C. S.... P. Lea [London, c1749].
18. SAXTON, Christopher. Monmouthshire... by C. S.... P. Lea [London, c1749].
19. SAXTON, Christopher. Glamorgashire Described by C. S.... P. Lea. [London, c1749].
20. SAXTON, Christopher. Denbigh and Flintsh. Described by C. S.... P.Lea [London, c1749].
21. SAXTON, Christopher. Mona Insula alias Angelsey... Described by C. S.... Phl: Lea. [London, c1749].
22. SAXTON, Christopher. Merioneth and Montgomery Described by C. S.... By P. Lea [London, c1749].
23. SAXTON, Christopher. Radnor, Breknoke, Cardigan... Discribed by C. S..... by P. Lea [London, c1749].
24. SAXTON, Christopher. Comberland and Westmorland Exactly Described by C. S.... By P. Lea. [London, c1749].
25. SAXTON, Christopher. The County Palatine of Chester by C. S.... by P. Lea. [London, c1749].
26. SAXTON, Christopher. Lincolnshire and Nottinghame Shire by C. Saxton [London, c1749].
27. SAXTON, Christopher. Warwick and Leicester shires Described by C. Saxton... by P. Lea. [London, c1749]
28. SAXTON, Christopher. Shropshire accurately drawen... C. Saxton.. P. Lea. [London, c1749].
29. SAXTON, Christopher. Worcester Shire Described by C. Saxton... P. Lea. [London, c1749].
30. SAXTON, Christopher. The County of Hereford resurveyed & Enlarged 1665. [London, c1749].
31. SAXTON, Christopher. Derby Shire Described by C. Saxton... P. Lea. [London, c1749].
32. SAXTON, Christopher. Stafford Described by C. S.... P. Lea [London, c1749].
33. MOORE, Jonas. Cambridge-Shire and the Great Level of ye Fenns... by Sr. Jonas Moore &c. [London, c1749]. Willdey's imprint removed.
34. SAXTON, Christopher. The County of Northampton... Bedford, Huntington & Rutland exactly drawen by one Scale by C. S.... P. Lea. [London, c1749].
35. SAXTON, Christopher. The County Palatine and Bishoprick of Durham Described by C. Saxton.... P. Lea. [London, c1749]. Willdey's imprint removed.
36. SAXTON, Christopher. The County Palatine of Lancaster Described by C. Saxton.. P. Lea. [London, c1749]. Willdey's imprint removed.
37. SAXTON, Christopher. York-shire Described by Ch. Saxton.. P. Lea. [London, c1749]. On two sheets, loss to lower left and right.
38. SAXTON, Christopher. Northumberland Described by C. Saxton... P. Lea. [London, c1749].