Maps of Birmingham, 1576 to the Present

See 'The Printed Maps of Warwickshire' (Thorpe and Harvey).

Birmingham borough not fully mapped until 1731, and the whole manor not until 1779. The place-name first appeared on a map of Great Britain made in 1330, the Gough map, which showed Arden but not Warwick or Coventry: until quite recent times maps are unreliable witnesses to the existence or absence of any topographical feature. Until Tudor times a map was decorative rather than useful or reliable. Elizabeth I gave special facilities to CHRISTOPHER SAXTON to undertake a survey of all counties, and he published his map of Warwickshire and Leicestershire in 1576, scale about 4 mls. to one inch. Saxton made a ground survey, but took detail from existing maps where possible.

WILLIAM SMITH the Herald based his 1603 map on Saxton's, but added details including some roads - those to Lichfield, Stratford, Warwick, and Coventry from Birmingham being shown. JOHN SPEED's map of 1610, part duplicated herewith, was also based on Sexton's: like Smith's, it was probably engraved by the Fleming Hondius, hence the spelling errors. No roads shown, map oriented nearly north. 4 mls. to one inch. Quite accurate town plans of Coventry and Warwick in corners, perhaps Speed's own survey. Map shows county bound, inaccurate for Bordesley/ Yardley; and Hundred borders. Witton shown west of Aston, Saltley called 'Dudson', Coleside site for Yardley village symbol, rivers only roughly correct, few bridges shown. Woodland symbols in N.E. Worcs. Map copies much used in Civil War.

SIR WILLIAM DUGDALE's maps for 'Antiquities of Warwickshire' are inaccurate, but have small pictures of churches correctly drawn. Saxton's original copper plate was used by Philip Lea in 1693, with additions but the old errors unaltered. Lea showed Coventry Road as the highway from London to Shrewsbury via B'ham. Town's name still not fixed - Root. Morden's map of 1695 gives three versions, Brimingham, Birmingham, Bromicham.

HENRY BEIGHTON F.R.S., Editor, Engineer, Surveyor, produced the first 'modern' Map of Warwickshire: his survey by triangulation and road measurement 1722-5. Main streets of Birmingham shown. Highways and intersections, archaeological symbols, church and hall pictures, watermills, villages, some district names, watercourses. Part duplicated here-with. County boundary and rivers accurately drawn: chapels at Saltley and Erdington, Deritend (drawn),Ward End, Moseley: all parish churches drawn: Dudson, Witton, Edgbaston, Erdington, Pipe, Castle Bromwich, Berwood, Park and Hay Halls drawn, as gabled or Georgian houses. Saltley Hall not shown, Hay Hall and Heybarnes transposed, Babbs Mill shown on Cole left bank: windmills at Saltley and Red Hill, post mills: market cross at Tile Cross: Perry, Witton, Bromford bridges on Tame, New Bridge on Cole. 1750 edition of map shows some tollgates.

33.1. Map 21a

WILLIAM WESTLEY's town plan of Birmingham 1731, 20 ins, to 1 ml., shows borough only, every building, lane;" and alley. Principal buildings drawn. Simplified copy with C18 th , notes above. Samuel Bradford, Thos. Hanson produced town maps in 1750, 1778 - see Later Georgian Birmingham notes. JOHN .SNAPE, 1779, mapped the whole manor, showing every lane and close, and the exact boundaries. JOHN TOMLINSON's maps of other local manors are equally detailed and accurate for the same period. JOHN KEMPSON's plan of the 'Town or Parish of Birmingham', 1810, used Snape's boundary details and brought the urban development up to date, showed all roads but left most of the Foreign unmapped: his work was designed for the Streets Commission, showing the extent of its responsibilities.

The growing impact of Birmingham on its environs was instanced by JAMES SHERRIFF's 'Map of Upwards of 25 Miles round the Town of Birmingham', scale ½ in. to 1 ml., early C19 th . Maps of this period showed new and projected canals, including some which were never built. C. and J. GREENWOOD'S One-Inch Map of Warwickshire was finely engraved and printed, showed parish boundaries, and bore symbols like the first Ordnance Survey Maps then appearing.

SOURCES OF LOCAL HISTORICAL RESEARCH

1. Anglo-Saxon Documents, e.g. Edgar's Charter 972, relating to Yardley.
2. Domesday Entries - see summary above.
3. Medieval Documents - Lay Subsidy Rolls, Hearth Tax Returns, Charters, Boundary Perambulations.
4. Rental Rolls, C16-19 th . Estate- Maps.
5. Parish Records - Registers of Births, Marriages, Deaths, Accounts of Constables, Overseers of Poor and Highways, Wills and Inventories.
6. Tithe Maps.
7. Directories, Gazetteers, topographical works, guidebooks, published reminiscences, newspapers, old drawings, paintings, and photographs.