Interpret Wales Maps for Interpretation Frank Olding Heritage Officer Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
Maps and Plans Reading maps and plans is not instinctive; Maps and plans have a language of their own; Reading maps and plans is a skill that’s why they teach GEOGRAPHY in school!!! For example...
Which tells us more the map or the photo?
Archaeologists LOVE drawing plans...
Total Station
Hachured plan – analyses the earthworks
Horses for courses – maps are a good source of evidence.
Marquis of Abergavenny Estate Survey 1819
Sale Particulars 1872
R. M. A. Regressive Map Analysis Looking at old maps! A very useful tool for gathering and presenting evidence Not so useful for interpreting to the paying public!!!
Beaufort Ironworks – 1 st Ed OS, 1880
GIS systems
Nantyglo Roundhouses How much information does this convey to the visitor?
Cadw’s “buff” guides... award-winning guidebooks... for a very good reason!
1203 – wooden castle rebuilt in stone
1230 – Hubert de Burgh’s new curtain wall and towers
1350 – the Earl of Lancaster’s fortress-cum-palace
Even more important for industrial sites...
An industrial archaeologist’s idea of an “interpretative plan”!!
Aerial photos are great for landscapes. Garnddyrys Forge
Happy Ramblers!!!