{"id":1373,"date":"2025-09-12T13:07:59","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T13:07:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/osmaps.com\/discover\/guides\/britain-then-and-now\/"},"modified":"2025-11-14T09:05:28","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T09:05:28","slug":"side-by-side-maps-historical-and-modern-britain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osmaps.com\/discover\/guides\/side-by-side-maps-historical-and-modern-britain\/","title":{"rendered":"Side by Side Maps – Historical and Modern Britain"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSide by Side Maps – Historical and Modern Britain\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBy OS Team\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\"London\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/header>\n\n\t\n\n\n\t\t
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Britain’s Past and Present – 1890s vs 2020s OS Maps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever wondered what some of the most well-known areas of Britain used to look like?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We live on a fast moving, ever-changing but ultimately fascinating island. Over time, we\u2019ve worked on acres of green and pleasant farmland, and been at the forefront of the industrial revolution. Our cities and towns have been scarred by bombs and new towns have been developed to cater for the always expanding population. We\u2019ve experienced coastal erosion, road constructions and demolition. We\u2019ve seen sprawls, reclamation and gentrification. How, though, has this altered what the landscape looks like?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With over 230 years of mapping Britain, Ordnance Survey has captured the evolving story of our landscape through countless maps. Now available on our shop<\/a>, the Revised New Edition<\/em> series, an extraordinary collection of vintage maps from 1896-1904, offers a fascinating glimpse into the past.  We\u2019ve selected some of our favourite towns and cities and placed these historic maps side by side with their modern counterparts to reveal how much has changed over the last 120 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

London<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Vintage<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As a capital city, London <\/a>is forever changing and developing before our eyes. In the early 20th century, it was the heart of the British Empire. The city endured two World Wars, with the Blitz of 1940\u201341 leaving deep scars<\/a> and prompting widespread rebuilding. Post-war London saw the rise of council estates, the decline of industry, and the expansion of the welfare state. The 1960s brought cultural revolution, while the late 20th century ushered in financial deregulation and the rise of Canary Wharf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To see how London looked over a 100 years ago on the ground, take a look at an extensive collection of photographs<\/a>. Our map from the turn of the 20th century shows that London was already a bustling metropolis, much like today, but there have been a few changes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key differences you can see in the side by side maps:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n