These great maps show a lost world. Note that RAF Hednesford is shown, and Hednesford is peppered with mines. Click to visit the map at the NLS site.

Here’s a wonderful thing found by top metal detectorist, history wonk and producer of stunning Kite Ariel Photography, Barry Carpenter. Barry has pointed out a fantastic new resource for old mapping available online.

At the moment, it serves mostly maps for Scotland, but you can get the full set of 1:25,000 sheets for the country from 1937-61, and the whole shooting match of 1952-61 7th Series 1:50,000. Not only does the site supply them free to browse up close online, but you can buy versions printed up to A0 size, or purchase a digital image on CD for about a tenner.

Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 1937-61 available from NLS site

Ordnance Survey 1 inch 7th Series 1952-61 available from NLS site

This is a wonderful thing. Do explore the site, there’s some lovely old Scottish maps up there, too. I hope this can be expanded – I realise it’s a project by the National Library of Scotland (hence the Scottish focus), but wouldn’t it be wonderful if the British Library could join forces?

Thanks to Barry for the heads up on that – it’s been keeping me busy for a few days now.

This series of maps was my favourite, and the first I was familiar with as a kid. The railway detail is fascinating in itself. Click on the image to see the map at the NLS site.