OS One-Inch Old Series / First Edition Map Viewer (Sheet 52)

Ordnance Survey One-Inch First Edition Old Map of Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire fringe: Old Series map of OS Old Series Map Sheet 52 (Northamptonshire / Huntingdonshire / Bedfordshire 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 lowland river valley landscape, characterised by Great Ouse and Ivel valley crossings, county towns, Roman-road nodes and low hachured ridges.

Archaeological Landscape

The primary archaeological theme is Great Ouse Roman-road, river crossing, villa/estate and county-town archaeology. Enhanced prediction from Roman-road, ridgeway, hillfort/enclosure, villa/estate, road-convergence and river-crossing logic.

High Visibility Locations

Bedford Ouse Crossing 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

Sheet LII / N° LII is visible in the upper-right margin. Large county lettering for NORTHAMPTON, HUNTINGDONSHIRE and BEDFORD is visible. Bounds are reconstructed from sheet-index geometry, adjacent sheet relationships, and identifiable Bedford / Huntingdon / Northamptonshire settlement controls; graticule labels are present but faint.

Main Landscape Features

Sheet 52 shows a mixed area of lowland river valley Great Ouse and Ivel valley crossings, county towns, Roman-road nodes and low hachured ridges . 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

Bedford Ouse Crossing Core is interpreted as a major river crossing and route convergence landscape. Godmanchester/Huntingdon Roman-Ouse Node is interpreted as a Roman town/road and river crossing zone landscape. Sandy/Biggleswade Ivel Belt is interpreted as a Roman-road and river valley villa/estate corridor landscape.

Historic Routes, Crossings and Connections

Ouse valley road corridor is interpreted as a Roman/medieval river valley 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.Sandy-Godmanchester 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.Bedford-Ampthill ridge route is interpreted as a ridge/market town 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

Bedford Great Ouse crossing is a major river crossing. Godmanchester/Huntingdon Ouse crossing is a Roman town river crossing. Tempsford Ouse/Ivel confluence crossing is a confluence crossing.

Main Places