Something to think about in the New year; GIS

[Tengu]

https://services.wiltshire.gov.uk/HistoryEnvRecord/Home/Index

One of my favorite playthings is Geographic Information Systerms

I use them a lot on my work, of course, but they are also good fun. The maps and their overlays allow you to explore an area in detail before you visit...or, not visit at all.

They are (mostly) intuitive to use...Though if you cannot read maps they are incomprehensible. However i think pretty much everyone here can read maps, yes?

https://map.cornwall.gov.uk/website...64380&maptype=basemap&wsName=ccmap&layerName=

Dunno if these links work; At the top is WILTSHIRE and the one above is CORNWALL

They are to be found on the county councils website as a rule.

Now, find me your one!

 

[mowerman]

I discovered these on the Shropshire Council website a couple of years ago when I started to do a lot of walking.
There are about a dozen overlays etc of different things but I find the public rights of way very interesting.
I often use it to scout out potential woodland, anything with a public footpath through it is fair game for me. My interpretation of the law is you are allowed to rest / take reasonable refreshment beside a public right of way and if that happens to be in a woodland and I can put a tarp up for shelter and make a hot drink and maybe something to eat then I am very happy.
There are certain sections of woodland within 10 miles of my house that I have frequented on many occasions over several years and have never seen another person in them.

Happy map hunting

 

[Wandering Fred]

Interesting thread, Tengu

I can't find the original link I used to use for Dorset but this is the latest one.
https://mapping.dorsetforyou.gov.uk/map?version=mylocal&lyrs=50

However what the old one did give me access to is this --> https://explorer.geowessex.com/

I have lived in Dorset area for most of my life & it's fascinating to see the local area as it developed pre & post WW2.
Also the Sheduled Monument tab is useful when out & about, the amount of ancient monuments in this country is astonishing.
If you have a fiddle about with Layer control, you can access old OS maps & Aerial Photography of the whole country.
I went to the Isle of Mull in June and used it to look for info on the original droves & paths in the area.
Great resource

 

[Bishop]

Carmathen Council https://www.carmarthenshire.gov.wal...ights-of-way/my-nearest-public-rights-of-way/
Powys council apparently did have one but is now on its 'todo' list thanks to a website makeover

The Uk.gov site here is also worth a look, providing overlays for areas of protection or conservation and ID numbers for all bridleways.
[note - at quick glance there appears to be some route discrepancies between OS and gov mapping]

 

[Tengu]

http://map.devon.gov.uk/dccviewer/

Devon.

they are all very different and I will say some are lacklustre.

If yours is no good (or non existent) I think you should give your council an earful. They are pretty important these days

 

[Wandering Fred]

The one I used to use for Dorset has been trimmed down to the current one but the geowessex one is still pretty good.

There is probably a map with the complete set of data for the whole UK lurking somewhere but how you get to it is another matter.
I don't understand why it is so difficult to find this sort of information, this should be readily accessible to everybody.

 

[Tengu]

http://historicscotland.maps.arcgis...x.html?appid=18d2608ac1284066ba3927312710d16d

Heres the Scottish one but it seems to be mostly listed buildings and scheduled monuments. Used to be all antiquities (or am I on the wrong layer??)

Your right, Wandering Fred, this sort of information is NOT accessible; Most councils (may) have one but they are often well hidden on their websites....Its a source of constant irritation to me; As a scholar these things are important to my work, but I have shown them to various civvies and people rapidly latch onto how useful (and fun) they can be.

(of course they are closed books to the map illiterate but too bad).

If they are a specialist thing I can understand the indifference, but they are not. This is why I am talking over the subject with you lot.

 

[Wandering Fred]

Just highlights the problem.

The Geo Wessex Explorer shows data for England & in some cases, the UK, but when you look at the County specific maps, most of the data has been stripped out. For example you can see Flood Warning Areas for Penzance but somebody using the Cornwall Map data can't. Bizarre really.

But I suspect that Local Councils are not the problem as they only fund data for their own area but the data must be available on a national scale within Central Government.

Note - GeoWessex.com is apparently part of Dorset County Council DCC GIS (Geographic Information Systems) team, so I would not be surprised if the UK data will become unavailable at a later date.

If you get a chance to look around the Geowessex map, it is a mine of information. It has a massive amount of historic data for the whole of England and historical maps & aerial photographs for the whole of the UK. Check out the 1888-1913 OS 6 inch/mile maps.

 

[Zingmo]

The data is available:https://data.gov.uk
The problem is finding it in format that you can understand. It would appear that the government doesn't want the public to be able to freely and easily use the data, thus creating a market for companies to exploit by selling it on.
The Environment agency had a great website called "What's in your backyard" but it now just hosts links to the .gov site. The BGS has a great website but how long will it be funded?
Defra's site is pretty useful: https://magic.defra.gov.uk

Z

 

[Tengu]

But this is what I have been learning about in archival practice.

Freedom of Information and easy access to records.

I dont care less about baptisms from 50 years back but I do find GIS very relevant.