Highways (physical existence)

The following source list was originally available only on paper in one of the West Yorkshire Archive Service offices. It may have been compiled many years ago and could be out of date. It was designed to act as a signpost to records of interest on a particular historical subject, but may relate only to one West Yorkshire district, or be an incomplete list of sources available. Please feel free to add or update with any additional information.

There are several series of maps and plans produced from the nineteenth century onwards that can help you trace the history of highways and thoroughfares:

Definitive Rights of Way

See Footpaths

Deposited plans

Before the introduction of the Highways Agency the planning and maintenance of major roads was the responsibility of the Quarter Sessions. Deposited plans were submitted to the Quarter Sessions as examples and evidence of proposed new works. They often include books of reference which can provide the names of owners and tenants of land affected by the works. See also Deposited Plans and the WYAS Catalogue (ref. QE20) for more detailed information.

Enclosure

See Enclosure Maps

Estate Maps

See Estate maps

Ordnance Survey - County Series

The first survey of Great Britain was drawn up on County lines. Each county was divided into rectangles measuring approximately six miles by four. Yorkshire was divided into 301 such rectangles which can be identified using the key sheet.

The First Edition was published on complete sheets at a 6 inch scale, with mapping to the County boundary only. Later editions of the 6 inch were divided into quarters and each sheet designated by the quadrants of the compass ie. NW, NE, SW, SE. Copies of the complete First Edition for the West Riding can be found at WYAS: Wakefield.

Later OS series introduced the 25 inch scale, where the original 6 inch sheet was divided into 16 sub-sheets. The first edition of the 25 inch was published in the 1890s and there were three subsequent editions up to the 1940s, after which the County Series was replaced by the National Grid.

Ordnance Survey - National Grid

The National Grid consists of a network of imaginary lines superimposed on the maps of Britain that breakdown into progressively smaller squares identified by letters and then by numbers. Each 100km square is designated by a pair of letters, and the reference is taken from the line on the left (west) of the point to be noted and taking the number of that line (easting) from the top or bottom of the map. Then take the line below the point and read the number in the left margin. This gives the km square reference.

The National Grid system includes 2.5 inch, 6 inch, 25 inch and 50 inch scale maps.

More information can be found on the Ordnance Survey website.

Tithe maps

Created around the 1840s by the Church to assist in the collection of tithe taxes, tithe maps were a survey of each individual parish. These maps and accompanying apportionments name the owner and tenant of property in each parish, and also give details of land usage and plot measurements etc.

Usually tithe maps and apportionments were created in duplicate; one set was sent to the national Tithe Commission in London while the other was retained by the parish church. The Tithe Commission held a complete set of tithe maps for the entire country; these records can now be found at The National Archives. Copies of various tithe maps for the Wakefield Diocese can be found at WYAS: Wakefield (ref. C429 and ref. Z), as well as some surviving maps and apportionments in individual church collections (ref. WDP). Please see the WYAS Online Catalogue for further information.

Turnpikes

A series of maps of turnpike roads was compiled by the Archaeology Unit (ref. Z). Also Turnpike Trust records (ref. WRT)

Other maps and plans

• West Riding County Council collection includes records of the County Surveyor (ref. WRD8) with volumes listing roads and bridges in the former county.
• West Riding County Council terrier (ref. WRD) which includes compulsory purchases between the 1930s and 1960s.
• RDC and UDC collections often contain information such as minutes etc from Highways Committees. Maps and other additional information can also be found in the Surveyor's Department town planning records.
• West Riding Registry of Deeds as many deeds include plans of the property discussed. Deeds can also be useful in providing details of easements, rights of way and covenants. For more information about the Registry and how to use it please refer to User Guide No.4.