This is a section of the first edition Ordnance Survey map showing Blyth and the surrounding area. The scale of the map is six inches to one mile, and was published in the early 1860s.
The first edition Ordnance Survey map was the first survey of the county of Northumberland on such a large scale [one inch to one mile, six inches to one mile and twenty five inches to one mile]. The survey began in 1855 and was completed by 1864. Ordnance Survey was set up in 1791 to produce large-scale maps of the southern coast of England. In 1840 Ordnance Survey was asked to produce a six-inch to one mile map for all of the country.
