Using Historical Maps in GIS | 20 March 2025

Bookings will close on the 9 March 2025.

This course is for people who want to explore and analyse maps that are themselves historical, or other images such as aerial photography, and use them within Geographical Information Systems software. 

The course is the first of two in-person GIS trainings, the second is ‘Making Maps and Analysing Historical Data in GIS’ taking place the following day on 21st March 2025. Please consider which of the two is more appropriate for your needs – are you using maps as a source, or making your own maps to illustrate your research?

The first short course in Historical Mapping focuses upon working with historic maps as sources, and the skills and tools needed to work with them digitally. The day begins with a seminar exploration of the history of cartography, including discussions of both the technical developments in cartographic techniques (and their implications) and of critical source analysis of maps.

The second part of the day explores the techniques needed to work with maps as historical sources within GIS software. As well as exploring online sources for ready digitised historic maps, you will learn how to geo-reference, and geo-rectify (warp) scanned historical maps within both ArcGIS and QGIS. We will also consider alternative ways of extracting information from historical maps, and the analytical potential of using them in conjunction with other GIS data sources and techniques.

Before attending this course, you should already be familiar with the basic concepts of GIS and cartography. You may therefore consider attending our online introductory training ‘Map Making for Beginners in History and Humanities’ on 18th February 2025. 

Fees 2024/25

• Standard: £125
• Concession (student/unwaged): £100

In order to provide an interactive, dynamic short course experience the IHR requires a minimum number of delegates to run the short course.
If a course is cancelled due to low enrolment, delegates will be offered the option of a refund or a transfer on to the same course at a later date.

Please note that this course will be taking place in-person only, and that the number of places available is limited.