Description:The Plan of Birmingham, drawn by James Sherriff and engraved by Tolley that appeared in 1808 in the third edition of William Hutton's A Concise History of Birmingham varies little from the version that appeared in 1800 in James Bisset's, A Poetic Survey round Birmingham. Although the map is not dated the few features that are different help us to date it as circa 1807.
Plan of Birmingham c 1807 MAP/65435
The Plan of Birmingham Drawn by J[ame]s Sherriff, of Oldswinford, late of the Crescent, Birmingham, Tolley engraver Birmingham, appeared in 1808 as a folded sheet in William Hutton's A Concise History of Birmingham – 3rd edition
This map has 20 North of West at the top and the borders enclose an area of 2.54km x 3.90km centred on the north-west side of Corporation Street between Bull Street and Priory Queensway.
Only six features differ from the version that appeared in 1800 in James Bisset’s A Poetics Survey round Birmingham. All of the errors of the earlier version remain.
Christchurch, labelled N and identified in the Reference table as Christ Church, is shown on the corner of New Street and Ann Street (Colmore Row). The foundation stone was laid on July 22nd 1805, but it was not completed for consecration until 1813.
Park Street Burial Ground, labelled 20 and identified in the Reference table as New Burial Ground, is shown to the east of Park Street blocking off the end of Fazeley Street (not labelled). The Act, authorising Park Street burial ground, was granted in 1807. The wall blocking off the end of Fazeley Street was finally taken down by order of the Birmingham Street Commissioners ruling of October 3rd 1808. Park Street Burial Ground is shown on all subsequent maps as divided in two by Fazeley Street.
The mill pool which appears on this version was first shown on a plan of May 1805 by Kempson, Robins & Kempson. It appears on maps of Birmingham until 1840 but is missing in 1845.
The mill is labelled as Wooley’s Mill. James Wooley, Francis Deakin, John Vaughan Dutton & Francis Johnson took out a 30–year lease on Heath Mill from Joseph Cottrell of Aston, wire drawer on May 30th 1805. The Cotterells, Thomas, James, John & Joseph, are listed in trade directories as wire drawers and tenants of Deritend Mills from 1795 to 1805. Wooley still retained an interest in the mill into the late 1830s.
Heath Mill lane (labelled Mill Lane) is shown extending to meet an extension of Lawley Street (not labelled). A plan of new roads by Kempson, Robins & Kempson, dated 1806 shows both the projected extension of Lawley Street – ‘A New & Good Road in the stead of the present crooked very bad Road carrying a distance of about 250 yards and making a good Road from Ashted to the Coventry & London Road.’ and of the projected extension of Heath Mill Lane – ‘leading from above a lane lead to Mr Wooley’s Mills to Watery Lane &c’
The few new features shown on this version of Sherriff’s Plan suggest a date between 1807 and 1808.