You've heard of the Mappa Mundi - now we introduce the Mappa Hooky

Creative minds in Hook Norton have come up with an extraordinarily, must-have Christmas gift - the Mappa Hooky.
John McCormick, Rod Fenwick and cartographer Ben Hill with the Mappa HookyJohn McCormick, Rod Fenwick and cartographer Ben Hill with the Mappa Hooky
John McCormick, Rod Fenwick and cartographer Ben Hill with the Mappa Hooky

The Mappa Hooky is a community enterprise offering a superb map of Hook Norton parish, based on the 14th century Mappa Mundi - a map of the then-known world and thought to be the largest medieval map still to exist.

The map is not only a fascinating resource that shows an index of every property in the village, with its name, but it makes an eyecatching feature to be framed and hung in the house.

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But even greater than that, the proceeds of each £5 map will go to help the community groups in the village.

Mappa Hooky spokesman John McCormick said: "The Hooky newsletter editorial team decided we’d like to do a community project for our village.

"Given that we distribute our newsletter every two months all round the village we thought we might sponsor a map of the village, Ordnance Survey-style.

"Luckily we found a retired cartographer, Ben Hill, who happens to live in the village, and he’s been driving it for us. It lists every property in the village with an index about how to find it as well as listing notable village amenities such as the pub and shop. On the back there is a parish boundary map and some iconic images of the village.

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"We think that there has never been a map like it and that it will be very useful for lots of purposes. There are about 500 Hooky houses with names and no numbers and they’ll be easier to find for a start," said Mr McCormick.

"There will be lots of other uses, For example the Community First Responders who help with emergency response are very keen to use it. Our newsletter team are paying for it and it will be given to community not-for-profit organisations for free so they can sell it to raise money."

The Mappa Hooky is available now at various locations in Hook Norton including the shop, library, school and Hook Norton Brewery Visitors' Centre.

The project team has had 200 unfolded maps printed so those who wish to frame the Mappa Hooky to display in their houses may obtain an un-creased copy.

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A number of maps of Hook Norton has been created over the years, from Joan Lawrence's 1970s - 80s paintings to history walks, village street plans and hi-tech digital versions. As the years have gone by, each has become a snapshot in time of the village at that point in its history and the designers hope this will happen to Mappa Hooky.

This 21st century version of Hook Norton's 'world' includes location of footpaths, post boxes and defibrillators.

You can learn more about the Mappa Mundi here.