Records of the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, England

Description Records of the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, England

Collection Records of the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, England

Catalogue Number 551 166

Category All Other

Scope and Content An extensive collection including: 1:10,000 scale record map sheets, annotated with archaeological and architectural sites; a set of 1st edition '6-inch to a mile' scale maps; index cards; survey information; antiquity models (draft depictions of sites for inclusion on published maps); stereo vertical photographs taken by the RAF, as part of the ‘National Survey’ begun in 1946; a set of enlarged and rectified aerial photographs taken for the OS 1:25,000 mapping survey; microfilm copies of the original County Name Books; library; correspondence and archive dating from the late 1940s to 1983. Ordnance Survey vertical aerial photographs and flight plots, 1960-2001. This contains photographs covering all parts of Scotland, taken during the Ordnance Survey's aerial survey programme. Large scale colour vertical aerial photographs of the City of Edinburgh, Lothian Region, by Geonex for the Ordnance Survey, 1990. Ordnance Survey historical maps of Roman Britain and Ancient Britain, 4th edition, 1990, Britain in the Dark Ages (South Sheet), 1935, Roman Britain, (Second Edition), 1928, Roman Britain (North Sheet), 2001, Roman Britain Wall Map, 1988, Great Britain Wall Map, 1988. Archaeology Branch visitor book, 1958-83. A collection of miscellaneous material from the former Archaeology Division of the Ordnance Survey, including: Box of newspapers and cuttings, including copies of the 'Glasgow News' and 'Evening Times', 2 August 1914, announcing the outbreak of the Great War, and envelopes of cuttings from the 'Evening News', 1935, Glasgow 'Memorabilia' from the 'Citizen' and 'Evening News', 1933-36. Copy of 'The Red Book', Instructions for Detail Survey, Revision and Examination of Large Scale Plans, Ordnance Survey, 1952. Copy of Classification Index, 1952. The Projection for Ordnance Survey Maps and Plans and the National Reference System, Ordnance Survey, 1951. Newscuttings on archaeological and architectural subjects, including the destruction of Garscadden House by fire, 1959. Photographic copy of 'Antiquities of Sutherlandshire', a guide to classes of monuments. Correspondence between J L Davidson and J G Scott, -, 1952-1960 and 1977. Correspondence and papers relating to the Janes Report, 1973-74, Serpell Report, 1977, and the disbandment of the Archaeology Division, 1983. Papers relating to a cairnfields project by J Fox, for consideration for a Scottish Iron Age map. Copies of papers on the history of archaeology in the Ordnance Survey, Highland depopulation, the prehistory of Sutherland, and Dalrulzian Houses.

Archive History The main part of the collection relates to the work of the Archaeology Division, and was presented in 1983 as part of the transfer of the functions of the Archaeology Branch to RCAHMS. Since 1983 the Ordnance Survey has presented additional material, including: Acc No 1989/531 Ordnance survey drawings, miscellaneous material, photographs. Acc No 1991/507 Ordnance Survey Archaeology Branch visitor book, 1958-83. Acc No 1991/606 Ordnance Survey vertical aerial photographs, 1976-87. Acc No 1992/530 Ordnance Survey vertical aerial photographs. Acc No 1992/580 Vertical aerial photographs by the Ordnance Survey. Acc No 1992/628 Vertical aerial photographs taken by the Ordnance Survey. Acc No 1993/557 Aerial photograph contact prints and enlargements taken by the Ordnance Survey. Acc No 1993/596 Large scale colour vertical aerial photographs of the City of Edinburgh, Lothian Region, by Geonex for the Ordnance Survey, 1990. Acc No 1995/748 Black and white aerial photographs taken by the Ordnance Survey 1960-70, and black and white negatives for 1970. Acc No 2000/77 A collection of miscellaneous material from the former Archaeology Division of the Ordnance Survey, presented by Mr J L Davidson, 2000. Acc No 2003/195 Copies of Ordnance Survey maps of Roman Britain and Ancient Britain, 4th edition, 1990. Acc No 2003/279 A large collection of aerial photographs by the Ordnance Survey, 1998-2001. Acc No 2003/290 Copies of Ordnance Survey historical maps: Britain in the Dark Ages (South Sheet), 1935. Roman Britain, (Second Edition), 1928. Roman Britain (North Sheet), 2001. Roman Britain Wall Map, 1988, Great Britain Wall Map, 1988. Acc No 2004/112 A large collection of Ordnance Survey air photographs dating from 1980-1996. This contains approximately 60,000 photographs covering all parts of Scotland, taken during the Ordnance Survey's aerial survey programme. Acc No 2007/77 A large collection of vertical aerial photographs of various areas of Scotland by the Ordnance Survey, 1980-2001, and flight plots, 1980-2006. Parts of the collection have been subject to an appraisal process. As the large format stereo vertical prints were duplicate surrogates for which the original negatives and smaller format prints were also held, the former were disposed of, with a selection being retained. In 2018 the collection of unannotated 1:1250 and 1:2500 scale paper maps was disposed of as being duplicated by material now available in digital form online.

System of Arrangement The collection has been only partially catalogued. The collection of vertical aerial photographs can be consulted through the National Collection of Aerial Photographs (NCAP). The archaeological site index cards (551 166/1/1) were digitised as part of HES Archives digital projects. These cards have been arranged by 100km grid reference, 5km grid reference, and site/sub-site. Individual cards were captured on both recto and verso. 'Page numbers' were only transcribed where present on the record.

Related Material See also: Acc No 1999/234 Maps of various scales covering areas in England and Scotland, given to Professor J K St Joseph by the Archaeology Division of the Ordnance Survey, together with plans of the battle of Mons Graupius and of Ardoch fort, Stirling. Acc No 2006/1 Ordnance Survey, 6-inch, second edition maps of Perthshire (1900-1901) originally given by OS Archaeology Branch (Scotland) to Mrs M E C Stewart for recording Perthshire antiquities, possibly in the late 1960s.

Access Conditions Open, but note that access may be subject to conservation requirements. Please contact the archive to confirm access in advance of a visit.

Administrative History The Ordnance Survey is the agency responsible for the mapping of Great Britain. Since its foundation in the later eighteenth century in the course of its work, in addition to topographical features, it has routinely recorded archaeological sites and antiquities. Responsibility for the work of survey, recording, selection and depiction of sites was delegated to the Archaeology Branch, of which a regional office for Scotland was established in Edinburgh in 1958. The Archaeology Branch compiled a card index of information created on field survey and gathered from published sources and correspondence, linked to a set of annotated maps. This index was to grow into a comprehensive record of Scotland's field monuments and sites. In 1983 the staff, functions and collections of the Archaeology Branch were transferred to RCAHMS and integrated with the Commission's survey and recording work.

Accruals No accruals are anticipated.

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