Alternative Name
The alternative name of a site or building such as a former or published name, or alternative spelling.
Canmore ID
A unique reference number for each site record within our database.
Catalogue Number
A unique reference number for each collection item within our database.
Classification
Canmore records are classified by one or more terms describing the type of monument, object or maritime wreck described/recorded. There may be multiple classifications for a record because several site types are present or a site may change its use over time - represented as site type followed by time period e.g. Settlement (Neolithic). For a full list of terms please see our Thesaurus page. For Monuments and Objects the period indicates the archaeological time period in which a site was created or occupied. For Maritime sites the period indicates the century in which a vessel was wrecked.
Council
The current administration area in which the site is situated following the 1996 Local Government reorganisation e.g. City of Edinburgh.
County
The former county in which a site is located. The county list is based upon the boundaries in use prior to Local Government reorganisation in 1974.
Datum
Earth is not a perfect sphere but a spheroid and maps present a flatenned view of the earth's surface. The datum defines the position relative to the centre of the earth. If the geographic coordinate system changes so do the values of data displayed. A local datum should only be used for the area it was designed for. Most records on Canmore are recorded using the OSGB36 National Grid used on Ordnance Survey maps to project their grid reference location. For further information please refer to OS Surveying Guidelines. For marine records, locations are normally given as Latitude and Longitude.
Easting - Northing
Easting refers to the eastward measured distance (or the x co-ordinate), while Northing refers to the northward-measured distance (or the y co-ordinate). In Canmore, Easting and Northing co-ordinates are WGS84 (EPSG:4326) projected.
Discipline
Indicates whether a site is Archaeological, Architectural or Maritime. Sites can be both archaeological and architectural e.g. a post medieval farmstead.
District
The former district in which a site is located. A sub-division of the Regional administrative area used from the Local Government reorganisation of 1974 until the Local Government reorganisation of 1996.
Form
Indicates the shape and structure of a site or the evidence for its existence e.g. a documentary recording of a ship sinking.
- Casualty indicates the unverified documentary, 'traditional' or 'historical' record of the loss of a ship, boat or other water craft. These records will normally be accompanied by an approximate location or be considered 'unlocated'.
- Cropmark evidence consists of visible features caused by differential growth or parching in standing crops, pasture or turf.
- Finds individual, usually small finds either found in relation to a site or monument or as isolated discoveries.
- Sub Peat a feature which is located under a peat layer.
- Wreck used for Maritime records to indicate the demonstrable and located remains (wreck) of a vessel.
Map Number
The Ordnance Survey quarter sheet (1:10,000) on which a site is located. Records are numbered uniquely within a particular quarter sheet - see Site Number.
Maritime
Indicates a record for the physical remains of a shipwreck or a documented loss of a ship.
- Casualty indicates the unverified documentary, 'traditional' or 'historical' record of the loss of a ship, boat or other water craft. These records will normally be accompanied by an approximate location or be considered 'unlocated'.
- Obstruction a submerged feature of unknown type usually discovered by sailors snagging nets or scraping the keel of a water vessel.
- Wreck used for Maritime records to indicate the demonstrable and located remains (wreck) of a vessel.
National Grid
The National Grid is the map reference system used on all Ordnance Survey maps to identify the position of any feature. The National Grid breaks Great Britain down into progressively smaller squares identified first by letters and then numbers. Ordnance Survey provide many useful resources including a beginner's guide to Using the National Grid.
NGR (National Grid Reference)
A map reference comprising eastings and northings that indicate a site’s location. A 10-figure map reference is possible within the National Grid and defines a location to a precision of 1m eg. HY 23125 18745. Download OS Map References.
NGR Description
Descriptive field used for sites such as linear records where the site may be covered by more than one OS 1:10,000 map sheet, large complex sites to indicate the centre of the site, or references where the exact location is unknown.
Organisation
The organisation or company associated with the creation of a collection item and/or the individual named in the Person field.
Parish
The pre-1974 civil parish in which a record (or most of a record) lies. Where sites are situated in more than one parish (particularly bridges and linear records e.g. canals, Roman roads) only one parish can be entered, and this is usually where the bulk of the site lies.
Person
The name of a person who created a collection item (or group of items), e.g. name of author, name of photographer, name of architect.
Region
The former administrative area in which a site is located, used from the Local Government reorganisation in 1974 until the Local Government reorganisation of 1996.
Role
The role of the person involved in the creation a collection item (or group of items), e.g. Photographer or Draughtsman.
Site Number
A unique number that identifies a site on an Ordnance Survey quarter sheet (1:10,000) e.g. NT27SE 1. Where necessary, a unique sub-number is used to identify distinct features or elements associated with or within larger or more complex sites.
