A very cool searchable map... 1885 Onwards

[The Rotrex Kid]

I've been using this for a while and a post on PH just made me think I would share it with the masses as it's very, very cool.

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=7&lat=54...

You can look at the whole of the country on different maps from the last (nearly) 140 years. You can slide transparency so you can see the overlay against the modern map/road/houses etc.

I've found some very interesting stuff on there. Feel free to share anything you find!

[Bannock]

Great link, thanks. It is striking how little extra land has actually fallen under urban development since then, when you look at it.

[cml24]

It is a brilliant website, and one I've looked at before when we bought our first house (1860s build).

I love looking at the changes in the local areas I'm living in.

[Spare tyre]

This is similar

It overlays today’s map onto an old one, bit fiddly on an iPad but keep trying.


Use it a lot when I’m out and about, it’s amazing how much stuff is still about because 200 years ago xyz was here

https://www.archiuk.com/cgi-bin/build_nls_historic...

[Celtic Dragon]

Thank you!!!!! That is perfect and just something a few of us were looking for at our archery club to track some of the old access and buildings on site.

[Dr Jekyll]

Looking at Silverstone circuit, are some of the original pre-airfield farm buildings still there? Or are they just newer buildings on the same spot?

[Dogwatch]

Just what I was looking for. Thanks.

[Defcon5]

One of my fave websites that.

What amazes me is how accurate the old maps are compared to satellite images

[InitialDave]

This is really interesting, thanks.

[SunsetZed]

Very interesting.

One thing though and maybe I'm doing something stupid / missing something obvious but I can't see anything between 1970 and today for my area (North Somerset)?

[The Rotrex Kid]

Glad to help. If you want to waste a few hours, I find it fun to look at all the old railway lines that are long forgotten and how much they have influenced the shape of roads/towns etc over the years.

[spitfire-ian]

The Rotrex Kid said:

Glad to help. If you want to waste a few hours, I find it fun to look at all the old railway lines that are long forgotten and how much they have influenced the shape of roads/towns etc over the years.

That is exactly what I've used it for in the past

[Mouse Rat]

Brilliant thanks

[indigochim]

Another one worth a look at especially if you're in the North West is MARIO it has old OS maps and you can overlay aerial photos fro. I think the 1930's and 1950's the interface is a little clunky as I understand it was developed a long while ago and not updated since.

[geeks]

That is very cool, can see the house our estate was named after!

[The Rotrex Kid]

spitfire-ian said:

The Rotrex Kid said:

Glad to help. If you want to waste a few hours, I find it fun to look at all the old railway lines that are long forgotten and how much they have influenced the shape of roads/towns etc over the years.

That is exactly what I've used it for in the past

Hello fellow sadsack

I enjoy finding an old bridge on that map and then going to look for it.

This is a good one..

[Bannock]

When I look at the old maps, I have this urge to bring up the streetview images from that time! If only we could do that.

[Scabutz]

Really interesting. Looked at Milton Keynes where I live, the name Milton Keynes came from a village, but lot of the estates are also named after small villages in the surrounding area, dont think I knew that.

Also Eastbourne where I grew up, where the harbour is now used to have rifle ranges, although after the war this seems to have changed to a single range. Interesting how under developed it was in the early maps, other than the town centre and seafront, hardly anything

[FiF]

Been using that for ages. You can find some really interesting stuff. For example one local field which has been left to go to scrub and river flood plain used to be the local cricket ground.

[WarrenB]

Accidentally just wasted a lot of time on there! More of the same tomorrow I'm sure!

Bannock said:

When I look at the old maps, I have this urge to bring up the streetview images from that time! If only we could do that.

If only! I found one of these with a load of discs in a house I bought..



... It was fascinating looking through pictures of towns and villages, around the Lake District, Wales, etc in full colour in 3D from the 40s and 50s. Closest I think I'll ever get to time travel.