Step One: Using Maps

Heritage maps
OSI Mapviewer homepage
OSI-Historic-6-inch-Ordnance Survey
OSI-Historic-25-inch-Youghal-Brick-Works

Using maps is essential to any online research. Start by looking at your 5km area on;

Heritage Maps

Heritage Maps is an online map viewing platform and is a fantastic resource for all kinds of heritage information. It includes details of monuments and buildings, but it also has information on archaeological finds, protected structures and natural heritage, amongst other things. Use the menu to the left of the map to select layers under different headings. You can find useful tools in the menu at the bottom of the screen where you can change the basemap, measure distances and areas and share maps online.

Ordnance Survey of Ireland is another essential resource;

Ordnance Survey of Ireland Mapviewer. This is simply an online map of Ireland. You can pan and zoom into your area and select modern and historic maps of the locality.

On the menu on the left hand side, click on ‘Base Information and Mapping’ to access different kinds of maps and tick the box to view each type. The Historic 6 inch maps date from the 1830s and 1840s and were the first detailed maps of the entire country. The Historic 25 inch maps from the late 19th and early 20th centuries show a fascinating amount of detail. The Cassini 6 inch maps mainly date from the 1940s, while more recent aerial imagery from 1995, 2000 and 2005 can also be seen. This provides a useful way of understanding the changes to the landscape of a locality, even comparing a relatively short period by looking at the 1995 then 2005 views can show a surprising amount of change in some areas.

As well as the Ordnance Survey Maps you can also find earlier information on resources like the 17th century Down Survey Maps, available online thanks to Trinity College Dublin.

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