East is at the top

Ever since its first known public display in 1768, the Gough Map has been something of a mystery. It is the earliest sheet map of Britain, created c. 1390-1410, but little is known about its purpose or who commissioned it. The map shows topographical features such as rivers, mountains and islands, as well as approximately 600 settlements. Many of these appear to be located on important roads, but how significant were medieval highways in the construction of the map? As the English road system was largely stable between 1300 and 1750, a comparison of English settlements on the Gough Map with those on roads on Early Modern maps might shed light on this aspect of the map.