Handbook for Travellers in Devon and Cornwall [Woburn Abbey Copy] [1872/1877]

London: John Murray, 1877. Very Good.
An essential association copy of the standard 19th-century guide to the West Country, from the personal library of the Dukes of Bedford.

As major landowners in Devon, the Russell family's ownership of this specific title carries significant regional weight. This copy represents the 'Murray' system at its peak, providing an exhaustive inventory of the geology, antiquities, and logistics of the region. The inclusion of the 76-page 'Handbook Advertiser' for 1877-78 provides a detailed cultural snapshot of the late Victorian travel industry. Housed in a modern protective slipcase, it remains a clean, tight artifact of British topographical history.

KEY FEATURES
+++ Visuals: Features the large folding map of Devon and Cornwall and the plan of Exeter Cathedral; all maps remain in excellent state.
+++ Binding: Original publisher's flexible red cloth with gilt-stamped titles to the spine and front board.
+++ Content: 494 pages including comprehensive routes for both counties and a detailed index; followed by a 76-page illustrated 'Handbook Advertiser' dated 1877-78.
+++ Provenance: Featuring the 1873 dated bookplate of Woburn Abbey (The Russell family, Dukes of Bedford).
+++ Imprint: London: John Murray, Albemarle Street, 1872. [Advertiser dated 1877-78].
+++ Specs: 7 inches tall by 4.75 inches; 494 pp. + 76 pp. ads.

CONDITION: Very Good.
+++ The Book: The bindings are tight and square. The original red cloth is clean with light handling wear consistent with a library reference copy. Internally clean; the folding map in the rear pocket is remarkably well-preserved with only light, expected age-toning and no significant tears or misfolds.
+++ The Slipcase: Housed in a modern slipcase which provides structural protection but is not a tonal or aesthetic match for the Victorian binding.

SCHOLARLY FEATURES
+++ Regional Governance: For the Dukes of Bedford, this was more than a travel guide; it was a record of the landscape they helped shape, particularly around their Tavistock holdings.
+++ Bibliographical Variant: Documents the specific Murray practice of binding later advertisement sections into earlier printed sheets, creating a unique chronological hybrid.
+++ Victorian Infrastructure: The text captures the West Country at the height of the railway boom, providing a primary record of the transit networks that opened Devon and Cornwall to modern tourism. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE -
John Murray's Handbooks were the first to provide a standardized, scholarly approach to British topography. The Russell family's copy of 'Devon and Cornwall' bridges the gap between the administrative reality of a great landed estate and the burgeoning 19th-century interest in regional heritage. The dated 1873 bookplate provides a rare, verifiable 'fixed point' for the provenance of a specific Victorian library acquisition.

SUBJECTS: Devon, Cornwall, West Country History, Victorian Travel, John Murray, Woburn Abbey, Russell Family, Association Copy, Travel Guide, 19th-century Cartography.