|
One of the
first things that the project did was to identify the old maps
of the area. The complete coverage of the first edition
Ordnance Survey from the 1880s was scanned and calibrated. The
tithe maps of the parishes, dating from the 1830s and 40s,
have been scanned as have some earlier estate maps.
A list of
relevant manuscript estate maps was prepared (a task made much
simpler following the publication of the book -
Herefordshire Maps 1577 to 1800 by Brian Smith,
Logaston
Press, 2004). These have been photographed, either by the
project team or by the British Library where many of the maps are
held.
We are
particularly fortunate to have good early cartographic
coverage of the northern part of the subject area. Large areas
in the parishes of Holme Lacy, Bolstone, Ballingham, Fownhope,
Brockhampton, Hentland and Kings Caple were in the Holme Lacy
estates of the Scudamore family and there are maps of these
dating back to 1695.
Another part
of the project was the recording of current land use. We did
this by walking the area and there are still areas which
need doing. The older maps,
together with maps from the 1930s and current observation,
give us a view of the changing agricultural land use and field
boundaries in the area over the last 300 years.
Woodland is a particularly
interesting aspect of land use and for many years was
associated with the local iron-working industry.
Thanks to the
co-operation of Herefordshire Archaeology, the relevant data
from the Herefordshire Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) was
downloaded onto a database. The SMR contains records of all
the known archaeological sites in Herefordshire. These data were used to build
period-specific plans of the area. These plans have been used to
target areas where archaeological research could add to our
knowledge.
One of the elements of the project was recording the condition
of old buildings in the area. The Royal Commission
on Historic Monuments surveyed this area over seventy years
ago and we have not only the published material but also
copies of the original inspectors' notes and photographs.
Philip Anderson and Heather Hurley re-visited the buildings
recorded by RCHM and Will Lewis took photographs of the
buildings as they now are (if they still exist). | 
