Old maps of Thornbury

Old maps are fascinating, especially when you get a few that cover a range of dates, so you can see the changes that have happened over the years.

We've started collecting, scanning and publishing some old maps of the area, for all to explore and enjoy.

Ordnance Survey maps remain in copyright for 50 years, which means we can only show maps up to the 1950s at the moment - an era before the motorway network, the Severn Bridge, and before Thornbury's main expansion.

In 1963 we see just a two-mile long M5 starting at Almondsbury and heading south, and the same 1963 map shows a dashed line at Aust - at this point the "Severn Bridge" is a railway bridge at Sharpness.

The 1972 Landranger map shows Thornbury filled out to almost modern-day extents (except for the strip east of Easton Hill Road and Sibland Road), although there's no Midland or Morton Way.

Our simple map viewer allows you to pan around to explore by clicking the arrows or an edge tile. You can switch to an older or newer map that covers the same area by clicking the links beneath the map.

This project is in its early stages at the moment; we'll be expanding the coverage area to encompass more of the surrounding villages and countryside, and we'll be scanning more maps as we get hold of them.

Have fun!

• View our old maps
• A guide to maps covering the Thornbury area
• Mapping Thornbury with OpenStreetMap
• Local history organisations and events