Mapping Wytham History

Mapping Wytham History

After spending my career in education, I have become more involved in local history over recent years, developing a strong interest in the importance of local communities and their histories and the ways in which this influences the present. The opportunity to become involved in the community history project relating to Wytham estate was an ideal next step.

My task was to set up a programme which would allow historical information assembled by the project to be presented cartographically. My first challenge was to download and familiarize myself with QGIS, a free graphic information system (GIS) software, as this would be integral to the project. I had previous experience with other GIS systems but digitising information was a new skill to acquire.

The next step was to start digitising information in order to produce a number of vector layers that would be accessible to other GIS users in order to add context and information to research and projects. These layers included land uses from 1760 and successive historic Ordnance Survey maps; archaeological finds; the possible boundaries of the Anglo Saxon Charter; references to sales of wood and map boundaries.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the project was meeting with other interns and supervisors at Wytham and walking through the woods providing a modern-day context to the area being researched. It was also illuminating researching the wealth of GIS layers that are readily available from a variety of universities and institutes.

Alison Wallis

Alison has a degree in physics and has worked as a teacher and educational officer in Oxfordshire. She holds a diploma in English Local History and currently volunteers with Oxon Family History Society transcribing parish records and deeds.