Find by Place - Help
This application allows all of our maps of Scotland to be searched and viewed. The application complements our Explore Georeferenced Maps application that allows seamless mosaics to be viewed.
Main search process
Choose the map category that you would like to search from the left-hand list. These are ordered roughly by date and from less detailed to more detailed maps. Zoom in on your area of interest and click on the map to view the sheet that covers this area. The sheet that you have selected is highlighted in blue, and a brief record and image of it appears in the right-hand panel. Select this to view a zoomable image or further information about the map sheet.
All of our online maps are included in this application:
Gazetteer, National Grid Reference, and Counties/Parishes for searching
The Gazetteer at the top of the map allows you to locate your area on the map using modern place names from Google, as well as by British National Grid Reference - 2,4,6,or 10 figures. Further left, drop-down boxes allow counties and parishes (based on their names and boundaries in the 1940s) to be searched. In all cases, the map will then position to the place, National Grid Reference, county or parish that has been selected.
Background map
By default, the background map shows a modern Google maps layer. Select the drop-down list to choose Google satellite, hybrid, or terrain layers, 1920s mapping from the NLS Historic Maps API, OpenStreetMap mapping, or Ordnance Survey Opendata as background maps. Double-click on the map or click the zoom slider (upper left) to zoom in on the map.
Location
In the lower-right of the map, the location of your mouse position is shown as a British National Grid Reference, as British National Grid Eastings and Northings, and as longitude and latitude.
Add Location to URL
Select this to add a suffix to the main maps.nls.uk/geo/find/ application URL to indicate a particular location and overlay layer. The URL now changes dynamically as you zoom and pan the map, or if you alter visible map layers and overlays. Copy the URL in your web browser window to save or send your specific current view of the interface as a URL.
Application
This application uses GeoServer and OpenLayers, and was customised by Klokan Technologies.
Please email maps@nls.uk for further assistance, or to provide general comments/feedback.