| Administrative History | On graduating from King's College in 1636, James Gordon became a minister at Rothiemay in Aberdeenshire. He is, however, remembered today as a cartographer and historian of considerable repute who assisted his father, Robert Gordon of Straloch, in producing maps for John Blaeu's famous multi-volume Atlas Novus. His final major commission in 1661 was to create a map of Aberdeen's two towns, for which the Town Council rewarded him with a silver cup, a silk hat, and "ane silk goun to his bed fellow". His pen and ink draft was sent to the Netherlands in 1662 to be engraved at the council's expense. For more information see: Abredoniae Vtrivsque Descriptio: A Description of both touns of Aberdeen by James Gordon Parson of Rothemay with a selection of the charters of the burgh (Spalding Club, Edinburgh, 1842). |
| Custodial History | Originally held by the University Museums as reference ABDUA 30421, source being Robert Keith, Bishop of Fife (1681 - 1757). The map is annotated, and dated 1750, stating that the map and a coin were given to Marischal College, Aberdeen. The handwriting has been identified as belonging to Bishop Robert Keith, a historian and collector who made several donations to his former university. |