British Cartographic Awards

2022-2023 Winner – Californian Snowflakes Map: The record snowfall of 2022-2023 by Kenneth Field

This monochrome map from Esri cartographer Ken Field shows California’s record 2022-23 snowfall. Inspired by a meteorologist called Wilson Bentley who was famous for his microphotographs of individual snowflakes and a map from the United States Geological Survey Data Science team.

2021-2022 Winner – Atlas Of Imagined Places by Matthew Brown & Rhys B Davis, Illustrations by Mike Hall

Winner of the 2022 Edward Stanford Travel Awards, Illustrated Travel Book of the Year.
From Stephen King's Salem's Lot to superhero Wakanda, from Lilliput of Gulliver's Travels to Springfield in The Simpsons, a wondrous atlas of imagined places around the world. Locations from film, tv, literature, myths, comics and video games are plotted in a series of beautiful vintage-looking maps.
A stunning map collection of invented geography and topography drawn from the world's imagination. Fascinating, beautiful and an essential book for any popular culture fan and map enthusiast.

2020-2021 Winner – Atlas of the Invisible’ by the geographer-designer team James Cheshire and Oliver Uberti

Image: Chairman of Stanfords, Vivien P. Godfrey presenting James Cheshire with The 2020-2021 Stanfords Award for Printed Mapping.

2019 Winner – The Map by Nairobi by Kirsty Henderson - Stanfords Award for Printed Mapping

This map is professional, user-friendly and fun. Researched in-depth and filled with hundreds of pieces of handy information including crowd-sourced tips from all sorts of Nairobi residents.
A great glimpse into a whole new side of Nairobi, including necessary tips to give you the confidence to get out and explore. Aimed at highlighting local businesses in the hopes that visitors will venture beyond the usual expat and tourist hangouts. Beautifully designed to be a souvenir worthy of a place on your wall.
Highly Commended: The Ordnance Survey Puzzle Book: - by Trapeze (publisher) & Mark Wolstenholme (cartographer).
Highly Commended: Cartography (Book) by Kenneth Field
Highly Commended: Greenland and the European Arctic by Laura Gerrish
Highly Commended: National Geographic Atlas of World War II : - by Greg Ugiansky - National Geographic Partners, LLC Commended: 1969 by Warren Vick

2018 Winner – Deborah Armstrong The 2018 Stanfords Award for Printed Mapping

Image: Chairman of Stanfords, Vivien P. Godfrey presenting Deborah Armstrong The 2018 Stanfords Award for Printed Mapping. With Richard Carpenter, BCS President.

2014 Winner – Lovell Johns Historical Map of York

Judges Comments: My favourite map, exceptionally well produced and designed, colours are clear, visual hierarchy is of a very high standard, a contemporary map style for an old map but I don’t mind that, a beautiful piece of design and cartography. Front cover design is great.

Global Mapping – The World

This antique looking map was published in January 2013. Given the antique feel by including features you'd expect to see on an antique globe. This large version was published following the success of the Medium Antique Map published in 2012.Global Mapping's own Mary Spence (awarded an MBE for services to cartographic design), is behind this map dropping in a more detailed enlargement of Central Europe plus insets of the two polar regions. The Analemma (normally found on old globes to depict which day of the year the sun is directly overhead and how sun time compares to clock time) is featured on the map along with descriptive text. The antique feel of the map is due to the muted colours and hill shading cleverly balanced by Mary.

Judges Comments: Judges found the entry to encompass what should be seen in good cartography, with its ‘Old Map’ feel, it is easy on the eye and unique in its presentation.

Image: Tony Maher Managing Director at Stanfords presents Mary Spence MBE of Global Mapping with the award.

British Geological Survey – Anglesey (Ynys Môn): a landscape carved by ice

Judges Comments: It is a clear and informative piece of work, that is well illustrated, colourful and that sits happily with the sharp photography. It is a stand out piece of high quality cartography.

Image: BCS President Peter Jolly presents Calum Ritchie of BGS with the award.

Global Mapping – The Environmental World

The latest educational wall map from award winning publishers Global Mapping. Pollution (including the devastating BP Deep Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010-the second worst recorded), Deforestation, Urbanisation, Environment Hotspots, Coastlines at risk from rising sea levels are just some of the topics covered. Beautifully designed by top map designer Mary Spence, MBE. This special edition has been designed especially for schools and colleges to go on the wall.

Judges Comments: Good symbology and size, does the job of clearly conveying the environmental issues facing our planet, a top quality piece of cartography.

Image: Mary Spence MBE from Global Mapping collects the Stanfords Award from BCS Vice President Ken Atherton.

XYZ Digital Map Company – XYZ Postcode Sector Map – Sheet 22

The XYZ Digital Map Company’s Postcode Sector of Inner London sits on the background of the People’s Map. This was considered a great example of cartography, a map that clearly communicates its information and doesn’t confuse the intended user with too much information, it was to the point and fit for purpose.

Image: Tim Rideout from XYZ Digital Map Company collects the Stanfords Award from BCS President Bob Lilley.

Collins GEO – Collins Social Studies Atlas for Nigeria and Collins Keystart UK Atlas

Although these were presented as two separate entries the judges felt they were so similar in design and presentation that it would be have been difficult to choose between them. Both atlases tell a story in maps, diagrams, charts, text and images using clear and uncomplicated cartography with a good choice of colours and symbols. The complete visualisation of the atlases was felt to be very effective in communicating the full range of different themes and topics to the intended age groups.

Image: Graham Gill from Harper Collins to collect the Stanfords Award on behalf of the Collins Glasgow office.

Helen C. Stirling – Moray Health Walks

These were produced as part of a health initiative developed by Moray Council and NHS Grampian. A clear well designed and executed set of maps that are ideal for the target non-map user. The small symbol set uses symbols that are easy to understand and should reduce ‘map phobia’, the choice of colours and the limited colour palette adds to the overall clarity. It was particularly interesting to see that as each walking map stands on its own they can be downloaded individually from the Council website.

Image: The BCS President Mary Spence MBE received the award on behalf of Helen C. Stirling, whom unfortunately could not attend.

Rosemary Duncan – Hamps and Manifold Geotrail

Her entry, the Hamps and Manifold Geotrail, was commissioned by the Staffordshire Regionally Important Geological Sites.The mapping is well referenced to the additional information surrounding it, including geo-sections, photographs and the descriptive text. The colour schemes and design are really eye catching and well balanced across the whole product with a very attractive layout. The format is well suited to the user, as a tour guide as well as a keepsake.

Image: The BCS President Mary Spence MBE to receive on her behalf of Rosemary Duncan. Caroline Bowler from Stanfords presented the award.

HarperCollins Publishers – The Times Compact History of the World

The winner of the 2006 Printed Mapping Award is a pair of compact reference books by HarperCollins Publishers which provide historical and geographical information. The Times Compact History of the World includes inventive ways of showing different era's and themes of history without overcomplicating each map, and yet still maintain a high level of information. This is well paired with a Times Compact World Atlas presented in a slip case, which provide an excellent combination as home reference guides.

Image: Sheena Shanks of HarperCollins receives the award, on behalf of her colleague Jethro Lennox, from BCS President Seppe Cassettari.