Ye Olde Mappe

[Cornish Terrier]

Just received an 'alert' from Geneanet regarding the online release of a resource thaty may come in handy for one or three of us.

Ye Olde Google Mappe: Researchers Make Searchable Online Version of Oldest Surviving Map of Britain

The oldest surviving map of the British Isles has been digitally captured and turned into a Google Maps-style online resource. The 14th century Gough map is one of this country's most important historical documents - it formed the basis for almost all the maps of Britain for 200 years.

And with its green rivers, red-roofed cathedrals, and extraordinary detail, it is surely one of the most aesthetically pleasing. The website, www.goughmap.org, also includes a series of scholarly essays discussing the map; latest news about the project and a blog, among others.

CT

[myghaelangof]

Thank you CT for this little gem. It is a fascinating insight into how mapmakers worked in times gone by. Once you work out that they have rotated the British Isles by 90 degrees anticlockwise it makes sense. Unfortunately Penwith is still at the bottom and appears to have suffered the most erosion!
Cant locate it at the moment but i recall seeing another old map of the coaching route from London to Penzance and that gave an idea of why some places remained backwaters and others thrived.
Mike :-)

[myghaelangof]

Ah found it - "The Road from London to Landsend" 1760. On the following website with loads of other old maps:

freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~genmaps/genfiles/COU_Pages/ENG_pages/corn.htm

[marychown]

Many thanks for this link, Mike.


Regards,

Mary

[Cornish Terrier]

And thankyou Mike - appears to be a very good site and that particular map is itself very interesting.

CT