HISTORIC MAPS
There are a number of online sources for accessing maps of Herefordshire and these can be accessed by going to the ONLINE MAP SOURCES tab. Many of these are Ordnance Survey (OS) and are lacking in detail until the 1870s.
Historical maps are of immense importance in understanding events, land use, economy and for the study of family history. Despite being a sparsely populated rural county, Herefordshire has been fortunate in the richness of its geographical record. This topic provides maps to download, where possible and consistent with their copyright. Otherwise, we offer links to collections on which maps can be searched and downloaded or purchased.
Herefordshire’s tithe maps, dating from the 1830s to 1840s, are the first county maps to be measured accurately. Some can be sourced online by subscription from genealogical websites. Diocesan originals being in the Herefordshire archives, with copies in the National Archives. Geoff Gwatkin has published copies of these which are available to purchase from his website. The advantage of most of the tithe maps in the Herefordshire archives is that properties were colour-coded - dwellings are coloured pink or red, outbuildings grey. This makes them valuable for house history research.
Many more maps exist in archives, in private hands or in the library of the Woolhope Club. A number comprise surveys, which have additional information on owners, occupiers and field names. The Club published member, Brian Smith’s Supplement to Herefordshire Maps 1577 to 1800 in 2012, the original having been published by Logaston Press in 2004. The books list all maps known to 2004, but new ones regularly turn up in private collections. Some are attached to land deeds and, although many cover only small areas, they contain valuable information for historians.
When searching for maps, it is best to begin with keywords for the parish or parishes concerned, date (if known), and place or estate name. Currently there are 239 civil parishes in Herefordshire. The parish name(s) given the parish boundaries at the time of the map, but be aware that re-organisations of parish boundaries and counties may have taken place in the interim and it may be necessary to check other parishes to find a specific building.
