Donation of 1888 OS 1 in 500 maps from Charlesworth Nicholl solicitors.
Old established legal firms are often a rich source of old documents which help tell the story of the area over centuries, and which need a secure home when they are no longer required for their original purpose. Local solicitor practice Quality Solicitors Charlesworth Nicholl have a history extending back into the 19th century via predecessors including J. & S.P. Pope and Ashford Sparks. They are already a much valued financial supporter of Crediton Museum through the Corporate Friends scheme, and when a fine set of local Ordnance Survey maps, once used to draw up deed plans, became available recently, they donated them to the museum.
Charlesworth Nicholl senior partner Chris Nicholl, said "It is good to know that there is somewhere secure where interesting documents like this can be lodged. When this is the local history archive, the fact that local people can access them for research is a big bonus."
The maps are to a scale of 1 in 500, in which 1 mile is represented by 10.56 feet; a scale only used for urban areas, and which is sufficiently large to show details of individual buildings. Apart from 1 missing sheet, of which we already have a copy, the built up area of Crediton in 1888 is shown on 12 sheets. Mounted on cloth, and stored in a custom made folder, they have survived in excellent condition. Their robustness makes it practical for them to be stored at the museum rather than the Downes archive, for more convenient viewing by CAHMS members, researchers and other interested members of the public.
A detail from one of the maps
One of the maps, and their custom made folder.