Maps are not just records of land, but mirrors of perception

Countries & Cities · Published 21 October 2026 · Updated 21 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: A map tells you where things are, but a deep map reveals how people once saw the world. By layering centuries of estate archives and historical charts into a single digital interface, researchers can peel back time to see how human perception of the landscape has shifted.

The 'Deep Mapping' project, a collaborative effort spanning multiple Welsh universities and heritage institutions, seeks to move beyond simple geography. By digitizing and aligning historical records to real-world locations, the project allows for a granular analysis of landscape continuity. The study targets a particular North East Wales zone, encompassing Denbighshire's Llanarmon yn iâl, Llanferres, and Llandegla, plus Flintshire's Treuddyn, Nercwys, and Mold. This initiative was funded by the AHRC and involved the National Library of Wales, which performed all the physical scanning. The project officially launched in May 2020 and concluded in December 2022. It specifically focuses on an area bounded by the river Alyn.

The technical core of this work involves georeferencing: the process of anchoring digitized historical images to modern coordinates using 'control points' like the corners of old buildings or field boundaries. Beyond just viewing images, the project 'vectorizes' these maps. This converts historical lines into digital polygons, meaning a user can click on a specific field parcel or road from centuries ago to access deeper data, effectively turning a flat image into an interactive database of human history. The process requires finding relevant materials within various national institutions and archive repositories. This methodology was developed as a five-strand system to ensure systematic data collection. It allows for the interrogation of sources specifically within the context of landscape change.

This methodology serves a dual purpose. It provides a public tool for exploring the history of Welsh estates while simultaneously offering a scholarly lens into how land was perceived and mapped in the first place. By synthesizing diverse sources—including OS, Tithe, Enclosure, and Estate maps—the project reveals the evolution of ownership, land use, and the shifting boundaries of human influence over the physical environment. The resulting web map is a free resource available for public use. It integrates a wide range of large-scale historical records. These include specific types of documentation such as Tithe and Enclosure maps.

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