Durham Maps

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Durham Maps

Ordnance Survey Maps of Sunderland Town and The Metropolitan City of Sunderland

1:1250 & 1:2500 Scale Maps

Sunderland was surveyed during the period 1953-1955 for the National Grid Series of 1:1250 maps. These were one kilometre square blocks, each containing four 500 metre square sheets. They were much superior to the previous ranges of O.S. maps. More detail, more convenient to handle, being half the size of the previous maps, and at five shillings per sheet, quite affordable. Today there are very popular with family historians for one particular reason, one in three buildings are numbered, so it is possible to deduce individual house numbers.

Towns were surveyed at 1:1250 scale, with the surrounding rural areas being surveyed at a later date at 1:2500. A considerable number of sheets were purchased prior to 1960, and many have survived. This is rather fortunate, they are now more than fifty years old, are out of O.S. Copyright, and can be published.

This Key Map of Sunderland in 1956 provides access to collections of maps for each of the outlined one kilometre blocks. Each collection contains a 1:2500 map for the original survey, in 1856, and for the subsequent revisions in 1896, 1914, 1939 and 1956. For blocks in urban areas, up to four 1:1250 sheets are also included, there are none for rural areas. Zooming of the Key Map can be achieved by holding down the 'CTRL' key, and rotating the mouse wheel. To pan, hold down the mouse left button, and drag the map as required.

For optimum display, the thumbnails should be displayed, to allow for individual map selection. Full screen mode should be used, and having selected a level of zoom, the zoom bar should be hidden.

There are ten pages in each block, the current page number being displayed in the top left hand corner of the screen.

1) This is the NZ Reference Number for this set of maps.

2) This is a 1:2500 scale map for the block at 1856.

3) This is a 1:2500 scale map for the block at 1896.

4) This is a 1:2500 scale map for the block at 1914.

5) This is a 1:2500 scale map for the block at 1939.

6) This is a 1:2500 scale map for the block at 1956.

7) This is a 1:1250 scale map of the North West sheet of the 1956 block.

8) This is a 1:1250 scale map of the North East sheet of the 1956 block.

9) This is a 1:1250 scale map of the South West sheet of the 1956 block.

10) This is a 1:1250 scale map of the South East sheet of the 1956 block.

To return to the Key Map page, use the browser Rewind Key, or, from your browser Recent History drop down list, select 'Block Key Sheet'.

If you are looking for a Street, then this Street Index may be of interest. The Index is of a later date that 1956, so it is possible that a street may not appear in the 1956 Block or Sheet Maps. It may have been demolshed earlier, and this could be verifired by searching earlier editions of the Block Map. On the other hand, it may not have existed until after 1956, in such a case it is recommended that you contact Sunderland Local Studies, they have a good selection of post 1956 O.S. Maps.

25 Inches to the Mile: Around about 1860, Durham County, like the rest of the country, was surveyed to produce the First Edition of the 25 Inches to the Mile Ordnance Survey Maps. There were to be fifty eight Sheets for the county, each containing sixteen maps, though there were incomplete sheets around the periphery of the county. This initial sample block of nine sheets covers the North East part of County Durham.

At the same time, Sunderland town centre was surveyed for a range of 120 Inches to the Mile Maps. These show in splendid detail how the upper classes were housed. They had moved South, away from High Street, but even they were not able to hide the location of their outside toilet.

The above maps will be downloaded in pdf format, so you can zoom, and pan round, to view them in as much details as required. Should you wish to pan round the complete set of maps, then perhaps this Key Sheet for O.S. 1:528 Scale Map Sections would be more appropriate.

Each map has been divided into 25 sections, numbered A1 to E5, in a 5 x 5 matrix. If you hold your cursor over the key sheet, an appropriate section number will be displayed. Clicking on it will display the selected section.

The controls for each section are contained within the rectangular border, placing your cursor within it will display the available controls. You can pan, usually in eight directions, and the controls are suitably positioned within the border. You can cross maps to allow you to view all 35 of them. When you reach the edge of a map on the periphery of the maps, the cursor will indicate 'Edge of Maps'. There is overlap when panning around a map, but none when tranversing between them.

Should you find a location of interest, perhaps for which you have searched, such as a quaintly named alley, make a note of the Map Section Number displayed above the map. To the right of centre, within the top border, you can select the parent map for this section, and display it on a separate page. Using the Section Number you have noted, you can judge where the location is in the context of the whole map.

Finally, to the left of centre, again within the top border, you can select the option to go 'Back to Key Sheet'.

If you know the name of the place you are looking for, then this Place Index will take you straight to the map section where it is displayed.

Where the text is blue, you can click on it to display the map section. Where it is red, clicking on it will display an image of the place.

I should like to express my gratitude to the organisations, and particularly the individuals, who were kind enough to assist in the acquisition of the material needed to present the material for this section of the web site.