To commemorate nine librarians and a reader cycling from the British Library south to the British Library north in commemoration of the Tour de France's Yorkshire Grand Départ, we've decided to make them into collective Indiana Joneses with this progress map. A red line will speed - or most probably creep - northwards from St. Pancras to Boston Spa, updated periodically on Twitter (@BLMaps) to reflect the group's probable location over the 200 mile, two day journey.

Note: this technology will seriously blow your mind... or at least it would if you were living at the time of the production of the map we'll be using. 

The 'Anglia Figura' or Cottonian map was probably drawn in 1536-7, and is regarded as one of the earliest accurately drawn maps of the British Isles. Subsequently owned by the Tudor statesman Sir Robert Cotton and in his collection to the British Museum in 1753, there is evidence to suggest that the map once hung on a wall in the palace of Henry VIII, protected from light and damage by a big pair of curtains.

The Anglia Figura. London, c. 1537. Cotton MS Augustus I.i.9 

Accuracy, of course, is subjective. Although startlingly modern in the mid 16th century, with an oh-so mathematical border, the map does not compare with mapping techologies used today. Even so, for it to be possible to follow a route through hundreds of named setttlements will say a great deal about this 500 year old vellum document.  

It was tempting to force the British Library cyclists to navigate their journey using the map itself - or rather a copy of it. However, as some of you may have noticed, there are no roads marked, and such cruelty seemed unwarranted. Besides, they have their work cut out as it is. So it is upon the Anglia Figura that we will witness the majestic progress of our merry band, with possibly a little rejoicing.

They depart at 0830. Onward!

Twitter hashtag #TdeBL

Follow @BLMaps