Laurence Nowell facts for kids
Laurence Nowell (born around 1530 – died around 1570) was an important English scholar. He was an expert in old books and objects (an antiquarian), a map-maker (cartographer), and a pioneer in studying the Old English language and its literature.
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Laurence Nowell's Life and Work
Laurence Nowell was born in 1530 in Whalley, Lancashire, England. He was the second son of Alexander Nowell and Grace Catterall. He likely went to school at Whalley Abbey. Later, he might have attended Westminster School. His cousin, Alexander Nowell, was a teacher there.
In 1549, Laurence Nowell went to Christ Church, Oxford. He earned his master's degree in 1552. After his studies, he traveled a lot. He visited many cities in Europe, like Paris, Geneva, Venice, and Rome, by 1558.
Exploring England and Old Manuscripts
Nowell also traveled widely around England, Ireland, and possibly Wales. He often traveled with his friend, William Lambarde. During these trips, Nowell collected information about old English writings. He also studied the names of places in England.
By 1563, Nowell was living in London. He worked for a powerful man named Sir William Cecil. Cecil was a very important government official. Nowell became a tutor for Cecil's young relative, Edward de Vere.
Mapping Britain's Past
Nowell spent much of the 1560s working on a big atlas. This atlas was meant to show maps of Anglo-Saxon Britain. However, he never fully finished this large project.
For William Cecil, Nowell created the first accurate map of Ireland's east coast. In 1563 or 1564, he also gave Cecil a small, accurate map of Britain. This map was called A general description of England and Ireland with the costes adioyning. People say Cecil always carried this map with him.
Studying Old English Language
Laurence Nowell also collected and copied many old English documents. He put together the very first dictionary for the Old English language. He called it the Vocabularium Saxonicum.
In 1563, Nowell got his hands on a special book. This book contained the only known copy of the famous poem Beowulf. This important manuscript is still known today as the Nowell Codex. He also studied another old book called the Exeter Book. He added notes to some of its pages.
Working with William Lambarde
In 1568, William Lambarde published a book of Anglo-Saxon laws. It was called Archaionomia. Nowell had encouraged Lambarde to create this book. In the introduction, Lambarde thanked Nowell for his help.
This book also included a woodcut map. It showed the seven kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England. This map is believed to be the first map of any kind that was designed, printed, and published in England. It was very likely made by Laurence Nowell.
Nowell probably realized he wouldn't get the important job he wanted from Cecil. So, in 1568, he decided to travel to Europe again. He wanted to study more and possibly become a diplomat. He died there sometime between 1570 and 1572. After he passed away, his books and writings went to William Lambarde.
Some historians say that Nowell had a "butterfly mind." This means he started many projects but didn't always finish them or publish his work. Despite this, he was a true pioneer. He was a leader in studying the Anglo-Saxon language, place names, and map-making. He is even credited with inventing the idea of historical cartography, which is making maps that show how places looked in the past.
Two Laurence Nowells
It can be a bit confusing, but there were two English cousins in the 1500s named Laurence Nowell. One was the scholar we've been talking about, and the other was a churchman (a priest).
For a long time, historians mixed up their life stories. This confusion started with a writer named Anthony Wood in the late 1600s. The mistake continued in many history books for centuries.
However, in 1974, a historian named Retha Warnicke looked at an old court case from 1571. Her research made it clear that there were indeed two different Laurence Nowells. Since then, historians have worked to separate their life stories. For example, a Laurence Nowell who taught at Sutton Coldfield grammar school in 1546 was probably the churchman. Another Laurence Nowell who was a member of parliament in 1559 might have been the scholar, but this is not completely certain.
