The County of Avon, formed in 1974, was made up of parts of what are now North Somerset, South Gloucestershire as well as the old county boroughs of Bristol and Bath. As a result the historic records for the county, including maps, are split between at least four main record offices in addition to a number of other sources. The format of entries in this catalogue (click in the 'Read more' box on the right of this page) with the main locations is explained on the inside front cover. This list was originally compiled as part of the preliminary research for the Avon Sites and Monument Record. The coverage is by no means complete - particularly for urban areas and we would welcome additional information.
Many other similar catalogues already exist and the form of entry broadly follows their format. This catalogue only extends to about 1900 and does not include printed maps which have already been listed by Chubb. Most enclosure maps are noted although fuller details have been compiled by Tate.
One of the most valuable series of maps for local historians and archaeologists are the Tithe maps made in the years following the Tithe Commutation Act of 1838. Most areas have a Tithe award map and they are usually fairly accurate and quite detailed. The field names in the awards have all been searched for potential archaeological sites for the Sites and Monuments Record. Another interesting facet of the Tithe maps are the old parish and tithing boundaries shown. These relate to quite old divisions of land. An attempt has been made to reproduce these boundaries on maps in this booklet although some of the smaller detached portions have had to be omitted.