Old OS Maps? To keep or not to keep?

[C_Claycomb]

A friend has recently given me a stack of OS maps he won’t be using anymore, and I in turn have looked at my own collection. Most of the “newer” maps are late 1990s to 2010s, some of the older ones are 1950s! Wondering whether there is value in maps which are that old? What do you consider the shelf life of OS maps?

I have one showing my town from 1999 before bypass and new estates, which is interesting, but it also doesn’t show the woods north of town…which didn’t exist 27 years ago, so not too trustworthy for navigation.


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[hughtrimble]

If you have an OS Map subscription, I'd probably keep those as a backup to carry in case your phone fails, as they're unlikely to be so out of whack that you can't get yourself safe. The contours should still be good!

 

[Billy-o]

For practicality today, you are right they are out of date. But, there aren't many things more interesting than old maps, even if they are only just out of date. Riveting documents

The topography itself doesn't change much, except at the edge of the island. And for historical and other details it might be better to consult an updated interactive map on your Garmin

 

[lou1661]

Always interesting looking at old maps of your area is fascinating, also looks lovely on the wall or another way to display. .

 

[Toddy]

I know someone who papered their stair wall with old OS maps
Looked brilliant....but sometimes a visit to the loo could take an awful long while......

 

[Damascus]

I have an old OS map dated 1935 of my village and surrounding area, 21/2 inches to the mile!
It’s really interesting to see what are now B roads were once main high ways, the whole thing is fascinating.

 

[JonathanD]

Keep them. They’re a record of this historical Albion.

 

[Broch]

A tough one but I can't persuade myself to get rid of the old maps especially the ones backed with whatever woven fabric was used. I do like comparing then and now, and sometimes stuff of interest has been missed off the newer versions.

But .... you can get most reprinted of areas of interest, or a good digital camera will record a lot of detail so enabling you to digitise those areas yourself. Not the same I know but a lot less space (says someone that currently has two filing cabinet draws full of OS maps I never use because I have Memory Map).

 

[trashcanman1984]

A friend has recently given me a stack of OS maps he won’t be using anymore, and I in turn have looked at my own collection. Most of the “newer” maps are late 1990s to 2010s, some of the older ones are 1950s! Wondering whether there is value in maps which are that old? What do you consider the shelf life of OS maps?

I have one showing my town from 1999 before bypass and new estates, which is interesting, but it also doesn’t show the woods north of town…which didn’t exist 27 years ago, so not too trustworthy for navigation.


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Digital OS maps are available as OS Zoomstack, it's mostly free of charge now. Not quite like the original OS maps tiles, but as it is a less detailed map it is kept up to date.

Any subscription doesn't give you up-to-date tiles, as OS Zoomstack is the primary database updated.... everything else is up dated as and when, if ever....the company I work for gave up the OS raster tiles as they were never updated, nor have they been for at least 15 years.

The OS master map layers are what you use for detailed work, and you have to pay for those...but again not kept updated often enough (2 to 5 year cycle - depending on location).

Just to note - my job role includes cartographic analysis, I use GIS pretty much every day, across seven counties area, so I notice when things are incorrect.

 

[trashcanman1984]

I still use paper maps at home, even if limited and incorrect.

For catchment walkovers in my job, I have to create and print my own, and for the team too.

Digital OS maps are available as OS Zoomstack, it's mostly free of charge now. Not quite like the original OS maps tiles, but as it is a less detailed map it is kept up to date.

Any subscription doesn't give you up-to-date tiles, as OS Zoomstack is the primary database updated.... everything else is up dated as and when, if ever....the company I work for gave up the OS raster tiles as they were never updated, nor have they been for at least 15 years.

The OS master map layers are what you use for detailed work, and you have to pay for those...but again not kept updated often enough (2 to 5 year cycle - depending on location).

Just to note - my job role includes cartographic analysis, I use GIS pretty much every day, across seven counties area, so I notice when things are incorrect.

 

[GeraldTheBonsai]

We have loads of old OS maps, often of the same area but going back in time. From a historical perspective they are great to see how the countryside has changed. Also, outside of urban areas, topology hasnt changed much, so they still have value.

Many places now have bypasses or new roads. The old maps show you the old routes, which have probably been used for centuries. These are now great places to go for a walk.

 

[grainweevil]

I know someone who papered their stair wall with old OS maps
Looked brilliant....but sometimes a visit to the loo could take an awful long while......

Yes, I knew someone who did that too - it has been an ambition of mine ever since, but lack of stair wall ownership has prevented me. The maps, I have.

As an alternative to tossing them out, outdated maps can make rather good wrapping paper. If you happen to have one that covers an area particularly relevant to the giftee you may even find the wrapping paper outshines the gift. Or maybe I just give lousy presents...

 

[John Fenna]

I love old OS maps - the older the better - and have a small collection that are useless for navigation but great for nostalgia/history/memories of days of glory and youth!

 

[Mesquite]

I know someone who papered their stair wall with old OS maps
Looked brilliant....but sometimes a visit to the loo could take an awful long while......

John Curran did a bookbinding workshop at the Moot and used old maps as end papers or covers. He also had printed maps of the Moot location for folks to use both of which I thought was a nice touch.

I'll definitely be signing up to do the workshop next year if it's run again.

 

[Toddy]

John Curran did a bookbinding workshop at the Moot and used old maps as end papers or covers. He also had printed maps of the Moot location for folks to use both of which I thought was a nice touch.

I'll definitely be signing up to do the workshop next year if it's run again.

John is very sound and creative too. He's a good teacher, calm, patient, quietly encouraging. I can well believe his Moot course was good.

I've covered boxes with old maps, the boxes I use for old photographs. Seems right somehow.

 

[Tengu]

It was a super course. Highly recomended.

I disagree with ditching maps anymore than ditching books, but I did use one...it was cut up anyway.

 

[TheTravellingTree]

If you have an OS Map subscription, I'd probably keep those as a backup to carry in case your phone fails, as they're unlikely to be so out of whack that you can't get yourself safe. The contours should still be good!

100%, yeah I'm was going to say something similar.. its always handy to have some backups, as you say if the phone goes down the pan at least tou have something to fall back on they dont take much room up.

I have a whole bunch my friends grandparents was going to throw away but I asked of i could have them, its interesting to see how things have changed (not necessarily for the better but what can you do unfortunately)

Plus like someone else said they look pretty cool framed and hang up on the wall somewhere

 

[Springchicken]

Keep them! I have kept all the O.S. maps that I bought and that weren't used to destruction. They are a record of the places that have piqued your interest over time, as well as being a record of how things have changed. On this last, I have a map of the Peak District from the 1980s; on it is marked a village called Carsington. A later map, bought because of a return to the area because of work, shows Carsington Water - a reservoir created that drowned the village and the immediate countryside. When the reservoir is low, some of the buildings make a ghostly reappearance... Noting those kind of changes is fascinating.

 

[Silverclaws2]

A friend has recently given me a stack of OS maps he won’t be using anymore, and I in turn have looked at my own collection. Most of the “newer” maps are late 1990s to 2010s, some of the older ones are 1950s! Wondering whether there is value in maps which are that old? What do you consider the shelf life of OS maps?

I have one showing my town from 1999 before bypass and new estates, which is interesting, but it also doesn’t show the woods north of town…which didn’t exist 27 years ago, so not too trustworthy for navigation.


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Am keeping the ones I have got as they work when the tech doesn't and of course I can still navigate by map and compass.

Have been using the local 1:25k recently to locate the natural springs of which OS marks on their maps.... to find one of them that was running earlier in the year has now been buried by a land slide but I wouldn't have known about it if it were not for the map.

 

[Toddy]

If you can get hold of the Victorian maps, the mineral ones, they are a brilliantly detailed coverage of everything from ores to mineral springs....often worth looking at the older ones and seeing what's been slowly no longer noted on modern ones.