Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Discover & Learn
  3. Digital exhibitions
  4. Maps

The delineation of boundaries is one of the fundamental purposes for which maps are made, both by private individuals and governments. 

The history of the mapping of official boundaries in Great Britain probably dates back centuries, however, some of the earliest official maps made purely to display boundary information date back to the political and administrative reforms of the nineteenth century. 

In the early days the delineation of boundaries was undertaken for specific purposes by Royal Commissions especially set up on an ad hoc basis. However, as the need to regularly revise boundaries on an ongoing basis came to be recognised, standing Boundary Commissions were established to carry out a rolling programme of revision.

The maps we have digitised so far are from the early phase of boundary revision. We hope to add more sets in the future.

Robert Dawson’s 1832 boundary maps

Changing the electoral geography of Britain

For many years prior to 1832 there had been calls for the reform of Parliamentary representation in Britain. In 1831 Lord Grey became Prime Minister and introduced a reform bill, which finally passed at the third attempt becoming the Representation of the People Act 1832. This totally changed the electoral geography of the county and greatly increased the electorate. Many old Boroughs were altered or disappeared, and new boroughs were created.

All of these changes needed to be codified so that the exact extent of the Boroughs was known. In order to achieve this, another act, the Parliamentary Boundaries Act 1832 was passed. This established the boundaries of all the boroughs in England and Wales. These boundaries were established by a Boundary Commission, set up for the purpose, and led by Thomas Drummond (1797-1840) of the Ordnance Survey.

Robert Kearsley Dawson (1798-1861), also of the Ordnance Survey, was appointed to produce accurate maps showing both the existing and proposed changes to the parliamentary boundaries. These maps were initially published in Reports from Commissioners on proposed divisions of Counties and boundaries of boroughs, in 1832, but were then republished together as Plans of the Cities and Boroughs of England and Wales in the same year.

In 1836 Dawson went on to be appointed Assistant Commissioner to the Tithe Commutation Commission, organising and superintending the surveys on which the permanent commutation of tithes in England and Wales was to be recorded.

The maps which he produced were based on Ordnance Survey information, but, while the county maps were made at reduced scales from the published one-inch map, the maps of the individual boroughs were produced at a larger scale of two inches to a mile, sometimes with larger scale insets at six inches to a mile.

This makes these maps some of the most detailed Ordnance Survey mapping to date and for some towns the first detailed town plan available.

Further reading:

Robert Dawson’s 1837 boundary maps

The effect of the Municipal Corporations Act 1835

In 1833, following on from the Parliamentary reforms of 1832, the Whig government under Lord Grey set up a Royal Commission to examine local government in England and Wales. 

The Commission reported in 1835 and found that the governance of Borough Corporations was undemocratic and that many of the Boroughs did not actually cover the modern extent of the towns they represented.

The result was the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, which created new rules for running of Boroughs and also adjusted the boundaries of many of the Boroughs to match the Parliamentary Boundaries established in 1832.

Robert Dawson was called upon to create a set of maps showing these new boundaries. These were published in 1837 in the Report of the commissioners appointed to report and advise upon the boundaries and wards of certain boroughs and corporate towns, (England and Wales).

These plans consist of a map of the Borough at the scale of four inches to a mile, some maps also have a smaller map at a scale of one inch to a mile, showing a wider area when the municipal boundary was to become much smaller than previously. Again, the plans were based on Ordnance Survey information, now enlarged for this purpose.

Further reading:

Henry James’s 1868 boundary maps

Representation of the People Act 1867

After the modest reforms of the 1832 Act the calls for further electoral reform grew over the following decades, by the 1860s the threat of mass civil disturbance encouraged Benjamin Disraeli to introduce a second reform bill which was passed and became the Representation of the People Act 1867. 

This act extended the franchise further removed some Boroughs and created new ones, this required that a new set of maps be produced. The 1868 Boundary Act set up a Boundary Commission to establish the limits of the new and altered Boroughs and it was for this Commission that the new maps were created.  

This time the maps were made under the auspices of, the then, Colonel Henry James (1803–1877) who was the Director of the Ordnance Survey at the time. These maps were published in the Report of the Boundary Commissioners for England and Wales, 1868.

While the majority of the maps are at a scale of one inch to a mile there are also a number at a scale of two inches to a mile and even some at a scale of four inches to a mile.

Further reading:

Share your opinion

Help us improve our services by filling in our quick survey to let us know how we're doing.

Send your feedback

Support us by donating

Preserving the Nation’s Memory

The Library was established with donations given by the people of Wales, and together we can continue that tradition. Donate to ensure our heritage for future generations. All gifts will make a real difference.