A History of the Counties of Surrey and Sussex, Illustrated in a Series of Views (Volumes I and II)

Complete in two volumes, [1829-1830]. Volume One: 484pp, plus 14 plate illustrations engraved on steel from original drawings by Nathaniel Whittock. Volume Two: 642pp, plus 41 plate illustrations engraved in steel from original drawings by various artists. Both volumes uniformly bound in textured brown cloth boards with paper title labels on spine (boards are faded and mildly soiled, slightly rubbed on edges, rounded at corners and spine ends, spines sunned, spine labels chipped and rubbed, with that on volume two having significant loss). Previous owner's name on title page in both volumes, some spotting and browning throughout. The front free endpaper is absent in Volume Two, and gutter cracked between front paste down and title page. Square and firmly bound. An uncommon, hard to find set, giving an account of the history of the counties of Sussex and Surrey from the earliest times, including early geology and landscape. Chapter headings include State of Surrey and Sussex after the Norman Conquest; Historical Notices of the Borough of Southwark; Survey of the Parishes of St Olave, St John, St George nd Christchurch; Survey of the East and West Hundreds of Brixton; Survey of the Hundred of Woking; The Rapes of Chichester and Arundel; The Rapes of Pevensey and Hastings etc., with appendices. Allen, a topographer and historian, published four county histories before his early death in 1834; his History of the County of Lincoln, was completed and published after his death. This is the only one of his works not to be accompanied by his own drawings, the skills of Nathaniel Whittock and other artists being employed here.