Greenwood's map of Lancashire 1818, showing Higher White Lee
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Sir Jonas Moore was born at 'Whittle' or [Higher] Whitelee, situated in Higham Booth on 8 February 1617.
He became a leading practical mathematician, surveyor, cartographer, Ordnance Officer, courtier and patron of astronomy.
He rose from humble origins to be awarded a knighthood, gained membership of the Royal Society and won favour at the court of Charles II. |
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Moore left Lancashire and, by the time he was 21, was employed as clerk to Thomas Burwell, the spiritual chancellor and vicar-general of the diocese of Durham.
A new avenue of opportunity opened before him during the civil war when he was encouraged to take up mathematical study. |
Jonas Moore's birthplace at Higher White Lee. The house was much altered in the late 18th century |
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Jonas Moore aged 32 years |
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In 1646 whilst at Durham, Charles I is said to have sent for him and, in the following year, gave him employment as mathematical tutor to the Duke of York.
Jonas Moore participated as surveyor in the two most ambitious projects of the age.
He was involved with the building of a massive harbour wall, the Mole, at Tangier and also with the draining of the Great Level of the Fens - the Bedford Level, which commenced in 1649.
He wrote an account of the work which was printed in 1685 after his death. |
Oliver Cromwell procured from him a model of a citadel 'to bridle the city of London', and Samuel Pepys was said to possess a copy of his survey of the entire course of the River Thames.
Portrait of Moore used on these pages is reproduced by permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library (Source - Moore's Arithmetek, 1650)
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