Roger Hellyer Collection of Alan Godfrey Ordnance Survey Facsimiles | Map Library | University Library

The Roger Hellyer Collection of Alan Godfrey Facsimiles is an extensive collection, comprised of more than 3,500 sheets, of reduced-scale facsimiles of Great Britain Ordnance Survey maps. The original scale of the maps was 1:2,500, approximately 25 inches to 1 mile; the reduced-scale facsimiles are at a scale of approximately 1:4,500, or 14 inches to 1 mile.

Black-and-white map of Sorbiodunum (Old Sarum) showing roads, locations, and relief using hachures. — *A portion of Old Sarum 1900, Wiltshire sheet 66.07.*

The reduced-scale facsimile reproductions are publications of Alan Godfrey Maps. The scale reduction makes the large original maps smaller and easier to handle and store. The facsimiles include scholarly interpretative text, reproductions of directories or railroad timetables, occasionally citations to other publications, and period photographs. The maps selected for reproduction focus primarily on towns and villages, showing individual structures (homes, shops, factories, churches, archaeological sites) transportation (roads, canals, railroads, pathways/tracks, ports/harbors), and land forms. In some locations, multiple editions of sheets have been reproduced.

The reproduced maps cover: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and the Isle of Man. Additionally a 1:63,360 (1 inch to a mile) set for England and Wales and a separate set for Ireland are included in the collection as are some maps of Normandy Beach on D-Day and selected German cities during World War II. Most of the maps are black-and-white.

Photograph of a man (Roger Hellyer) standing on a beach. — *Roger Hellyer. (Photo courtesy of Roger Hellyer.)*

The collection was gifted to the Map Library by Roger Hellyer, a scholar on the history of the maps produced by the British Ordnance Survey. Many of Mr. Hellyer’s authoritative works were published by the Charles Close Society; some are available in the Library’s collection.

The size and scope of the collection is unique among map collections found in North America. The collection is completely cataloged and its full contents can be identified through the Library’s catalog by searching Roger Hellyer Collection of Alan Godfrey Facsimiles. The maps are primarily cataloged in county-based groups; search for Alan Godfrey Hertfordshire to see an example.

Map of the Bath, England centered on the Abbey Church of St. Peter & St. Paul and the Temple of Minerva. Streets are yellow, Building outlines are filled in with brick red. — *Portion of Bath 1883, Somerset sheet 14.05.*

Individual sheets, typically named for the town or city appearing on them, can also be searched; search for Alan Godfrey Weymouth as an example. Individual sheets are listed in each county-level catalog record.

The maps in this collection may be borrowed.