Overview of Timothy Pont

Cartographer. Probably born at Shiresmill (FIfe), Pont the son of Rev. Robert Pont (1524 - 1606), a noted churchman and close associate of John Knox (1510-72). Following his graduation from St. Andrews University (1583), the young Pont embarked on an ambitious project to record the landscape of Scotland. Over the succeeding 18 years, he produced some 77 maps, now held by the National Library of Scotland. These are remarkable in that they represent the oldest maps of Scotland based on an original survey. As part of this project, Pont mapped the Roman Antonine Wall, recording several forts which have subsequently been demolished.

In 1601, he became a minister, in the Parish of Dunnet, Caithness.

Pont's maps were not published during his lifetime but, with the help of Robert Gordon (1580 - 1661), they formed the basis of Blaeu's splendid Atlas Novus, the first atlas of Scotland, published in 1654.