Viewing Historic Maps in the Map Explorer

Introducing The Map Explorer

TheGenealogist’s innovative Map Explorer adds rich functionality to its growing collection of map-based records. This powerful new tool has been developed with georeferenced historic maps overlaid over several modern background maps including Ordnance Survey, Open Street Map and Bing satellite and hybrid road/satellite view.

The panel on the left of the Map Explorer includes many different tools, such as a Modern and Historic Place Search, County and Parish Boundry Indicators, and the ability to manipulate the map layers.

Map Layers

Maps have been divided up into 3 types of layer that can be viewed on top of each other like sheets of paper. You can then change the transparency of a layer to view the layers below allowing you to see how the area changed over time.

The Base Layer

This is the modern layer, which can be used to select a modern OS Map, Open Street Map or a Bing Satellite Image.

The Historic Layer

The historic layer can be used to select a range of OS maps from the 1890’s to the 1960’s

Record Set Layer

This layer provides access to map record sets such as the Lloyd George Domesday, or the soon to be launched Georeferenced Tithe Maps. Keep an eye out as further record sets are added to this layer in the future. This layer also has the ability to show “Pins”, these are map markers that link directly to the records so you can see who was living in a particular property.

Putting Your Ancestors On The Map

The Map Explorer doesn’t just display maps, you’ll see georeferenced “pins” on the map where we have found records for the properties beneath. This is currently for the Lloyd George Survey records, but we plan to add more record sets over the coming months.

This new genealogical research facility, to view the maps and residential data, gives those family historians who want to investigate where their ancestors lived some powerful new features to use. At launch, TheGenealogist’s new Map Explorer give access to georeferenced Lloyd George Survey Maps for Greater London (Survey books for this area are being released ward by ward over the coming months), with further exciting developments planned for the coming months.

The Map Explorer is available to all Diamond Subscribers. To experience the Map Explorer today, why not try our 14 Day Free Trial?