 |
Home
Project launch
Geophysics surveys
Geological survey Downley Common
Archaeology of Downley Common - photos
Downley School excavation
Bricks and brick-making
Events next in the programme
Art and archaeology on Downley Common
Poetry at Downley School
Maps and archaeology
The 'Big Dig'
Art workshop on Downley Common
|
|
|
|
Maps and archaeology
Location: Buckinghamshire
Maps and archaeology
Maps can tell us so much about our past – about past land use, landscape, who lived there, who owned it and much more. Here are some of the basic types:
Estate maps: surveys of estates or manors can be of variable dates. It is not unusual to find maps dating from the 1500s to 1700s. They were always commissioned by the Lord of the Manor or owner of the estate either to show the extent of their land or to record change to it. These commonly show all the property and land boundaries of the estate, including names of fields and names of those living in cottages on the estate at the time.
Tithe maps: The Tithe Commutation Act of 1836 resulted in a most parishes producing these maps that were surveyed on a large scale with a detailed text accompanying it (called an ‘award’ or ‘apportionment’) that lists information about the parish, township or tithing. They are extremely useful as buildings are clearly shown and names for fields or land units are on these maps. The Apportionment text can be used to provide information on ownership, tenancy, land use and value. Each building or field has been given a number on the map; the number can be found in the accompanying text, which gives all the details about that property or land.
Inclosure maps: produced for those parishes that enclosed their open fields in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century. These are very carefully drawn maps to show the new apportionment of the land, which are also described in written ‘Inclosure Awards’. Plots and buildings are numbered, as for the tithe maps.
Highway diversions: nineteenth century maps that show the diversion or stopping of footpaths and highways. These were made by order of the Quarter Sessions. A ‘Visual Map Index’ is usually available in the map store that shows these old maps overlaid on modern maps for ease of reference.
Valuation maps: maps for the revaluation of land by the Inland Revenue after 1910 (they are coloured and annotated OS maps, usually 2nd edition 25” per mile maps.
Ordnance Survey maps: the earliest OS maps are the 1” and 2” drawings produced in the 1820s. Next to be produced were the 1st edition 6” and 25” per mile maps surveyed in the 1870s. These do not give evidence of occupants of any area, but landscape features are easily seen on the 6” maps, just as you would expect of modern OS maps. The 25” maps are sufficiently detailed to show the locations of buildings. Churches, pubs and important houses are named, but not roads. There are second editions which occur for most regions around the 1900s, which were updated again around the 1919-1926 period, and so on. In this way the evolution of the landscape, of archaeological features, or of community history can all be traced and changes recorded.
Digital mapping and aerial photographs: OS digital mapping came into action during the mid-1990s. Aerial photographs are available for most areas of the UK from the 1930 onwards; particularly numerous during the war years, and taken at regular intervals since. Archaeological features can show up extremely well form these photographs – you need to look at a number taken at different times of year and at different angles – e.g. vertical and oblique.
(Careful with copyright – OS maps can only be freely copied once over 50 years old.)
Here is an extract from the 1849 Tithe map listing that accompanies the map - there are some familiar names resident or with properties around the Common!
The tithe listing in the NE boundary (near the kiln area):
Tithe no. Owner Occupier Land use/building
1021 Downley and Napple Common Common land
993 Benjamen Disraeli B. Disraeli Wood
992 Benjamen Disraeli B. Disraeli Wood
991 Sir George Dashwood Jesse Bristowe Garden
990 Messrs Wethered Jesse Bristowe House & premises
989 Messrs Wethered Jesse Bristowe Garden
988 Mesrs Wethered Jesse Bristowe Meadow
987 Rev Fred Vincent Mary Plumeridge Cottage & garden
986 Rev Fred Vincent Jesse Bristowe Platt
985 Rev Fred Vincent Jesse Bristowe Meadow
984 Sir George Dashwood William Nash Platt
983 Sir George Dashwood William Jones &
William Walton Garden
Key for the 1849 tithe map which has been coloured to show use of the land:
KEY:
Yellow Common
Green Agricultural
Brown Woodland
Pink Residential
Pale blue Workshops/farm buildings
Turquoise Orchards
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
