diff --git a/lib/cartopy/mpl/ticker.py b/lib/cartopy/mpl/ticker.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f12bd3c1b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cartopy/mpl/ticker.py
@@ -0,0 +1,190 @@
+# (C) British Crown Copyright 2014, Met Office
+#
+# This file is part of cartopy.
+#
+# cartopy is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
+# the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the
+# Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# cartopy is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+# along with cartopy.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+"""This module contains tools for handling tick marks cartopy."""
+from matplotlib.ticker import Formatter
+
+import cartopy.crs as ccrs
+from cartopy.mpl.geoaxes import GeoAxes
+
+
+class _GeoFormatter(Formatter):
+    """Base class for formatting ticks on geographical axes."""
+
+    def __init__(self, degree_symbol=u'\u00B0', number_format='g'):
+        """
+        Create a formatter for geographical axis values.
+
+        Kwargs:
+
+        * degree_symbol (string):
+            The character(s) used to represent the degree symbol in the
+            tick labels. Defaults to u'\u00B0' which is the unicode
+            degree symbol. Can be an empty string if no degree symbol is
+            desired.
+
+        * number_format (string):
+            Format string to represent the tick values. Defaults to 'g'.
+
+        """
+        self._degree_symbol = degree_symbol
+        self._number_format = number_format
+
+    def __call__(self, value, pos=None):
+        if not isinstance(self.axis.axes, GeoAxes):
+            raise TypeError("This formatter can only be "
+                            "used with cartopy axes.")
+        # We want to produce labels for values in the familiar Plate Carree
+        # projection, so convert the tick values from their own projection
+        # before formatting them.
+        source = self.axis.axes.projection
+        if not isinstance(source, (ccrs._RectangularProjection,
+                                   ccrs.Mercator)):
+            raise TypeError("This formatter cannot be used with "
+                            "non-rectangular projections.")
+        target = ccrs.PlateCarree()
+        projected_value = self.extract_transform_result(
+            target.transform_point(*self.make_transform_args(value, source)))
+        # Round the transformed values to the nearest 0.1 degree for display
+        # purposes (transforms can introduce minor rounding errors that make
+        # the tick values look bad).
+        projected_value = round(10 * projected_value) / 10
+        # Return the formatted values, the formatter has both the re-projected
+        # tick value and the original axis value available to it.
+        return self._format_value(projected_value, value)
+
+    def _format_value(self, value, original_value):
+        hemisphere = self.hemisphere(value, original_value)
+        fmt_string = u'{value:{number_format}}{degree}{hemisphere}'
+        return fmt_string.format(value=abs(value),
+                                 number_format=self._number_format,
+                                 degree=self._degree_symbol,
+                                 hemisphere=hemisphere)
+
+    def make_transform_args(self, value, source_crs):
+        """
+        Given a single coordinate value and a source `CRS` returns a
+        3-tuple of arguments suitable for use by `CRS.transform_point`.
+
+        Must be over-ridden by the derived class.
+
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError("A subclass must implement this method.")
+
+    def extract_transform_result(self, transform_result):
+        """
+        Given a 2-tuple returned from `CRS.transform_point` returns the
+        required element.
+
+        Must be over-ridden by the derived class.
+
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError("A subclass must implement this method.")
+
+    def hemisphere(self, value, value_source_crs):
+        """
+        Given both a tick value in the Plate Carree projection and the
+        same value in the source CRS returns a string indicating the
+        hemisphere that the value is in.
+
+        Must be over-ridden by the derived class.
+
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError("A subclass must implement this method.")
+
+
+class LatitudeFormatter(_GeoFormatter):
+    """Tick formatter for latitude axes."""
+
+    def make_transform_args(self, value, source_crs):
+        return (0, value, source_crs)
+
+    def extract_transform_result(self, transform_result):
+        return transform_result[1]
+
+    def hemisphere(self, value, value_source_crs):
+        if value > 0:
+            hemisphere = 'N'
+        elif value < 0:
+            hemisphere = 'S'
+        else:
+            hemisphere = ''
+        return hemisphere
+
+
+class LongitudeFormatter(_GeoFormatter):
+    """Tick formatter for longitude axes."""
+
+    def __init__(self,
+                 zero_direction_label=False,
+                 dateline_direction_label=False,
+                 degree_symbol=u'\u00B0',
+                 number_format='g'):
+        """
+        Create a formatter for longitude values.
+
+        Kwargs:
+
+        * zero_direction_label (False | True):
+            If *True* a direction label (E or W) will be drawn next to
+            longitude labels with the value 0. If *False* then these
+            labels will not be drawn. Defaults to *False* (no direction
+            labels).
+
+        * dateline_direction_label (False | True):
+            If *True* a direction label (E or W) will be drawn next to
+            longitude labels with the value 180. If *False* then these
+            labels will not be drawn. Defaults to *False* (no direction
+            labels).
+
+        * degree_symbol (string):
+            The symbol used to represent degrees. Defaults to u'\u00B0'
+            which is the unicode degree symbol.
+
+        * number_format (string):
+            Format string to represent the longitude values. Defaults to
+            'g'.
+
+        """
+        super(LongitudeFormatter, self).__init__(degree_symbol=degree_symbol,
+                                                 number_format=number_format)
+        self._zero_direction_labels = zero_direction_label
+        self._dateline_direction_labels = dateline_direction_label
+
+    def make_transform_args(self, value, source_crs):
+        return (value, 0, source_crs)
+
+    def extract_transform_result(self, transform_result):
+        return transform_result[0]
+
+    def hemisphere(self, value, value_source_crs):
+        # Perform basic hemisphere detection.
+        if value < 0:
+            hemisphere = 'W'
+        elif value > 0:
+            hemisphere = 'E'
+        else:
+            hemisphere = ''
+        # Correct for user preferences:
+        if value == 0 and self._zero_direction_labels:
+            # Use the original tick value to determine the hemisphere.
+            if value_source_crs < 0:
+                hemisphere = 'E'
+            else:
+                hemisphere = 'W'
+        if value in (-180, 180) and not self._dateline_direction_labels:
+            hemisphere = ''
+        return hemisphere
diff --git a/lib/cartopy/tests/mpl/baseline_images/mpl/test_ticker/ticks_central_longitude_0.png b/lib/cartopy/tests/mpl/baseline_images/mpl/test_ticker/ticks_central_longitude_0.png
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diff --git a/lib/cartopy/tests/mpl/baseline_images/mpl/test_ticker/ticks_central_longitude_120.png b/lib/cartopy/tests/mpl/baseline_images/mpl/test_ticker/ticks_central_longitude_120.png
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diff --git a/lib/cartopy/tests/mpl/baseline_images/mpl/test_ticker/ticks_central_longitude_180.png b/lib/cartopy/tests/mpl/baseline_images/mpl/test_ticker/ticks_central_longitude_180.png
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diff --git a/lib/cartopy/tests/mpl/baseline_images/mpl/test_ticker/ticks_mercator.png b/lib/cartopy/tests/mpl/baseline_images/mpl/test_ticker/ticks_mercator.png
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diff --git a/lib/cartopy/tests/mpl/test_ticker.py b/lib/cartopy/tests/mpl/test_ticker.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..09701b0b41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cartopy/tests/mpl/test_ticker.py
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+# (C) British Crown Copyright 2014, Met Office
+#
+# This file is part of cartopy.
+#
+# cartopy is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
+# the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the
+# Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# cartopy is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+# along with cartopy.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+from nose.tools import raises
+import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+
+import cartopy.crs as ccrs
+from cartopy.mpl.ticker import LatitudeFormatter, LongitudeFormatter
+from cartopy.tests.mpl import ImageTesting
+
+
+def _run_test(projection, xticks, yticks, xformatter, yformatter):
+    ax = plt.axes(projection=projection)
+    ax.set_global()
+    ax.coastlines()
+    ax.set_xticks(xticks, crs=ccrs.PlateCarree())
+    ax.set_yticks(yticks, crs=ccrs.PlateCarree())
+    ax.xaxis.set_major_formatter(xformatter)
+    ax.yaxis.set_major_formatter(yformatter)
+
+
+@ImageTesting(['ticks_central_longitude_0'])
+def test_central_longitude_0():
+    _run_test(ccrs.PlateCarree(central_longitude=0),
+              [-180, -120, -60, 0, 60, 120, 180],
+              [-90, -60, -30, 0, 30, 60, 90],
+              LongitudeFormatter(dateline_direction_label=True),
+              LatitudeFormatter())
+
+
+@ImageTesting(['ticks_central_longitude_180'])
+def test_central_longitude_180():
+    _run_test(ccrs.PlateCarree(central_longitude=180),
+              [0, 60, 120, 180, 240, 300, 360],
+              [-90, -60, -30, 0, 30, 60, 90],
+              LongitudeFormatter(zero_direction_label=True),
+              LatitudeFormatter())
+
+
+@ImageTesting(['ticks_central_longitude_120'])
+def test_central_longitude_120():
+    _run_test(ccrs.PlateCarree(central_longitude=120),
+              [-60, 0, 60, 120, 180, 240, 300],
+              [-90, -60, -30, 0, 30, 60, 90],
+              LongitudeFormatter(degree_symbol='', number_format='.2f'),
+              LatitudeFormatter(degree_symbol='', number_format='.2f'))
+
+
+@ImageTesting(['ticks_mercator'])
+def test_mercator():
+    _run_test(ccrs.Mercator(),
+              [-180, -120, -60, 0, 60, 120, 180],
+              [-80, -60, -30, 0, 30, 60, 80],
+              LongitudeFormatter(dateline_direction_label=True),
+              LatitudeFormatter())
+
+
+@raises(TypeError)
+def test__GeoFormatter_invalid_axes():
+    ax = plt.axes()
+    #try:
+    ax.xaxis.set_major_formatter(LongitudeFormatter)
+    #finally:
+    #    plt.close()
+
+
+@raises(TypeError)
+def test__GeoFormatter_invalid_projection():
+    ax = plt.axes(projection=ccrs.Stereographic())
+    #try:
+    ax.xaxis.set_major_formatter(LongitudeFormatter)
+    #finally:
+    #    plt.close()