THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES OF SCARBOROUGH, AND THE VICINITY
By Thomas Hinderwell
Second Edition – 1811
An attractive early 19th-century copy of Thomas Hinderwell's important history of Scarborough and its vicinity, published at York in 1811.
The title page reads:
The History and Antiquities of Scarborough, and the Vicinity. By Thomas Hinderwell. Second Edition.
Printed by Thomas Wilson and Son, High-Ousegate, York, 1811.
A particularly appealing copy in an attractive period half-leather binding with marbled boards, decorative gilt spine and marbled endpapers, retaining its engraved illustration and folding plan of Scarborough.
Of particular historical interest, this edition carries a printed dedication to William Wilberforce (1759–1833), the celebrated Yorkshire Member of Parliament, evangelical Christian reformer and leading parliamentary campaigner against the British slave trade.
The dedication, dated Scarborough, August 1811, describes Wilberforce's:
"private virtues"
and his:
"unsullied patriotism and exalted humanity."
Hinderwell states that the history is inscribed to Wilberforce as a memorial of his "long and disinterested attachment" to him.
This provides an especially interesting contemporary association with one of the foremost British reformers of the Georgian period and considerably broadens the historical interest of the volume beyond Scarborough and Yorkshire topography alone.
Thomas Hinderwell's work is one of the important early histories of Scarborough and the surrounding district.
It covers the history, antiquities and development of Scarborough and its vicinity, including the ancient and modern town, Scarborough Castle, religious and ecclesiastical history, notable inhabitants and events, the harbour and maritime history, local institutions and the surrounding district.
First published in the late 18th century, the work became an important source for the early history and topography of Scarborough.
This is the Second Edition, published in 1811.
The volume is illustrated with engraved material.
Present and shown in the photographs are:
The folding plan is a particularly attractive feature for collectors of early Yorkshire maps and local topography.
Attractive period half-leather binding with marbled paper-covered boards.
Features include:
A handsome antiquarian binding with considerable character.
Good antiquarian condition overall for a volume published in 1811, but with evident age and use.
The binding shows rubbing, scuffing and general wear, particularly to the leather spine, joints, board edges and corners. There is some surface loss and heavier wear along the extremities, as clearly shown in the photographs. Also, a crack is present to the front spine from top (3cm).
Internally there is general age-toning, foxing, spotting and occasional staining/browning. The engraved material and folding plan also show age-related spotting and browning.
There is an early handwritten inscription/notation to the front blank.
The folding plan has survived well for its age but naturally shows the original folds and some age-related wear/marking.
Please study all photographs carefully, as these form an important part of the condition description.
Author: Thomas Hinderwell
Title: The History and Antiquities of Scarborough, and the Vicinity
Edition: Second Edition
Date: 1811
Printed at: York
Printer: Thomas Wilson and Son
Pages: 435
Binding: Period half leather with marbled boards
Dimensions: approx. 220 × 140 × 30 mm
Weight: approx. 613 g
Dedication: William Wilberforce, MP for Yorkshire
A fascinating Georgian Yorkshire antiquarian volume, combining Scarborough local history, early topography and cartography with a notable contemporary dedication to William Wilberforce.
An appealing item for collectors of Scarborough, Yorkshire history, William Wilberforce, abolitionist history, evangelical history, Georgian Britain, early maps, topography and antiquarian bindings.