Pictures in Print

This is a sample of pre-Ordnance Survey maps of County Durham available on the Pictures in Print website from Durham University.
Please read the copyright conditions of Durham University Library.
www.dur.ac.uk/picturesinprint
To zoom in to the maps requires a free plug-in to be downloaded.


1743 map by H OVERTON.
"The bishoprick and citie of Durham [by J. Speed]. London. Are to be sold by Henry Overton at the White Horse without Newgate."
This uses the ancient map of John Speed.
View the map record

1788 map by John GIBSON.
"Plan of the collieries on the rivers Tyne and Wear, also Blyth, Bedlington and Hartley; with the country 11 miles round Newcastle taken from actual surveys by John Gibson."
Showing Old Ducks pit of John Duck. Shows also Ralph Carr Esqr of Cocken.
View the map record

1807 map by LAMBERT.
"Plan of the Rivers Tyne & Wear with the Collieries, Waggon-ways & Staiths, thereon And the Principal Roads & Villages, also a Plan of Newcastle upon Tyne."
This shows an "Incline Plane" from Urpeth Main to the River Wear.
View the map record

1820 map by Christopher GREENWOOD.
Map of the county palatine of Durham, from actual survey made in the years 1818 & 1819 by C. Greenwood. Dedicated to the nobility, clergy & gentry of the county by the proprietors G. Pringle and C. Greenwood, 50 Leicester Square, London. Published March 1st 1820.
Old waggonways are marked with double dotted lines, including the waggonways from Washington and Urpeth to Pelaw Main. Also shown is Nesham's Waggonway via Philadelphia, Middle Herrington and Grindon to the Wear.
CP=coal pit, TB=tollbar. This map was published before the founding of West Hartlepool. The old course of the Tees is shown near Stockton, before the Portrack Cut.

View the map record

1824 map by William SMITH.
showing "the course and width of the strata which occasion the varieties of soil; calculated to elucidate the agriculture of the county, to show the situation of the best materials for building, making roads, constructing canals, &c. and pointing out those places where coal and other valuable minerals are likely to be found".
Geological map of Durham by the "Father of English Geology".
View the map record

1839 map by William Colling HOBSON.
"This map of the county palatine of Durham, is most respectfully dedicated to the nobility, clergy, gentry, &c. &c. by their most obliged and very humble servant, the proprietor William Colling Hobson. Engraved by J. & C. Walker."
This colouful map is one of the earliest to show Carr Ville.
View the map record

1843 map by John Thomas William BELL.
"Plan of the Hartlepool coal district in the county of Durham, including part of the Wear district in the same county, being the first of a series of plans of the great northern coal field, most respectfully dedicated to the coal trade, by their obedient humble servant, John Thomas William Bell, Castle Eden, 1843."
The top of this map shows the Rainton area.
View the map record

1843 map by John Thomas William BELL.
"Plan of part of the Tyne & Wear coal districts in the county of Durham, being the second of a series of plans of the great northern coal field, most respectfully and with his permission dedicated to John Buddle, Esqre, to whom the same was submitted on the 5th. September 1843, when it was examined and approved of by him, by his most obedient servant, John Thomas William Bell, Castle Eden, 1843."
The map shows the Usworth and Washington landowners, including JC BOULCOTT Esquire, Robert Eden Duncombe SHAFTOE Esquire, Sir James MUSGRAVE Baronet, William RUSSELL Esquire, Sir Wilfred LAWSON Baronet, William PEARETH Esquire, Robert SHAW Esquire, Sir E BLAKENEY, the Right Honourable Lady SIDMOUTH, Lord RAVENSWORTH and Partners, the Bishop of Durham, the Countess of Durham, the Marquess of Londonderry, etc.
View the map record

1850 map by John Thomas William BELL.
"Map of the great northern coalfield, in the counties of Northumberland & Durham. Including the whole of the coal mining districts of the Tyne, Wear and Tees, and those of Hartlepool, Seaham, Hartley, Blyth & Warkworth."
Bell's maps were the most accurate before the publication of Ordnance Survey.
View the map record

1850 map by Christopher GREENWOOD.
"Map of the county palatine of Durham, from an actual survey made in the years 1818 & 1819, by C. Greenwood. With all alterations, additions &: improvements to the present date, by Dinning and Burnett, land agents, surveyors, &c. 51, Westgate Street, Newcastle on Tyne."
This shows the proposed branch railway from Leamside to Bishop Auckland.
View the map record

1851 map by William OLIVER.
"Map of the coalfield, of Northumberland & Durham, shewing the ascertained collieries, pits, faults, dykes & other interruptions, with the railways & ports of shipment. Constructed for the coal trade, by William Oliver, mining engineer, Walbottle, Newcastle, with the assistance of other mining engineers of the district. 1851. M. &. M.W. Lambert, lithographers."
This intricate map shows geological faults in the coal seams.
View the map record


Ordnance Survey
The first edition was published during the years 1857 to 1867 for County Durham.

www.british-history.ac.uk - British History Online.
example - 1861 Carr Ville

www.keystothepast.info - "Keys to the Past" shows Ordnance Survey maps from the first edition to modern day.
example - Carrville (modern spelling)

See also www.old-maps.co.uk for Carr Ville


Waggonways Home Page
this page updated 23 May 2009