Comparing historical maps using Ancient Roam

Ancient Roam, a facility in Historic Digimap, now allows users to compare two historical maps of the same location from different decades, side by side. Using the 2up View users can view a location and easily see how the landscape has changed over time. For example, comparing historical maps reveals the effects of the Industrial Revolution and the more recent decline of industry on the urban landscape of towns and cities across the country. (See the accompanying screenshot.)

The new 2up view in Ancient Roam.

2up View is easily accessed by clicking the split-screen icon in the top right of the main map window. This will load two maps side by side in two smaller map windows. You can then select the decades you wish to view using the two independent time-lines. Panning and zooming is available in the 2up View, allowing one to easily move around or change locations and to see greater or lesser detail.

Ancient Roam, launched in April 2010 in beta phase, provides quick and easy access to a wide range of historical Ordnance Survey maps and has proven extremely popular, with over 300,000 screen maps being created in four months. Beautifully detailed maps dating from the 1840s – 1990s from Ordnance Survey’s County Series, National Grid and Town Plan mapping can be accessed at a range of scales and dates. Historical maps can be viewed online and printed for use in dissertations, course-work and teaching.

Ancient Roam became a full service after the annual Digimap update on 31 August. Historic Mapper, which has been serving historical maps since the launch of the Historic Digimap Collection, will be removed at the end of 2010. Until this time, both Historic Mapper and Ancient Roam will run in parallel.

Historic Digimap