OS One-Inch Old Series / First Edition Map Viewer (Sheet 48)

Ordnance Survey One-Inch First Edition Old Map of Essex, Suffolk border / Stour estuary: Old Series map of OS Old Series Map Sheet 48 (East Essex coast / Colchester / Harwich inferred).

Please note that the modern reference map on the split screen is intended as a guide only.

Old Series Map Index

 

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Landscape and Archaeological Assessment

Landscape Classification

This sheet represents a coastal estuary and lowland landscape, characterised by Essex estuaries, marsh-edge settlement, Roman Colchester routeways, river crossings and coastal islands.

Archaeological Landscape

The primary archaeological theme is Essex Roman town, estuary, marsh-edge and coastal route archaeology. Enhanced prediction from Roman-road, ridgeway, hillfort/enclosure, villa/estate, road-convergence and river-crossing logic.

High Visibility Locations

Colchester Roman Urban Core

Terrain Archaeology

The terrain is interpreted using hachures. Relief is represented by hachures, allowing inference of ridgeways, high points, spur ends, valley approaches and likely route/crossing logic.

Main Geographic Information

Large ESSEX county lettering and NORTH SEA lettering are visible. The bounds are reconstructed from the readable top graticule sequence (approximately 0°45'E to 1°30'E), identifiable Essex coastal geography, and adjacent checked OS Old Series sheet-index logic. Latitude labels are partly faint and treated as approximate.

Main Landscape Features

Sheet 48 shows a mixed area of coastal estuary and lowland Essex estuaries, marsh-edge settlement, Roman Colchester routeways, river crossings and coastal islands . The map is useful for studying early 19th Century historic settlement patterns, Roman road alignments, early archaeological site indentification, how roads, old tracks, lanes and paths, villages, waterways and field systems related to the wider nineteenth-century landscape.

Main Geographic Features

Archaeological Predictions

Archaeological Hotspots

Colchester Roman Urban Core is interpreted as a Roman town and radial road convergence zone landscape. Blackwater/Maldon Estuary Belt is interpreted as a estuary crossing, salt-marsh and landing landscape landscape. Dengie / Bradwell Coastal Zone is interpreted as a Roman shore, marsh edge and coastal defence landscape landscape.

Historic Routes, Crossings and Connections

Colchester-Kelvedon-Chelmsford Roman road corridor is interpreted as a Roman road corridor. Historic crossing points where roads, trackways or routeways converge on significant water features are widely recognised as archaeological hotspots. Crossing points often acted as gateways within the historic landscape. Because movement was channelled through these locations, archaeological evidence may occur both at the crossing itself and along the routes leading towards it, forming broader zones of archaeological potential rather than isolated sites.Colchester-Mersea-Bradwell coastal corridor is interpreted as a Roman/coastal route and estuary corridor. Historic crossing points where roads, trackways or routeways converge on significant water features are widely recognised as archaeological hotspots. Crossing points often acted as gateways within the historic landscape. Because movement was channelled through these locations, archaeological evidence may occur both at the crossing itself and along the routes leading towards it, forming broader zones of archaeological potential rather than isolated sites.Maldon-Dengie marsh-edge route is interpreted as a estuary/marsh-edge route. Historic crossing points where roads, trackways or routeways converge on significant water features are widely recognised as archaeological hotspots. Crossing points often acted as gateways within the historic landscape. Because movement was channelled through these locations, archaeological evidence may occur both at the crossing itself and along the routes leading towards it, forming broader zones of archaeological potential rather than isolated sites.

Historic Gateways and Crossing Places

Maldon / Heybridge Blackwater crossing is a major estuary crossing. Colchester Colne crossing is a Roman urban river crossing. Burnham Crouch crossing/access is a estuary access/crossing.

Main Places