Grantham woman showcases map of Lincolnshire from 1695
A map of the county from 1695 shows how village names have changed over 400 years.
Just over five years ago, Amanda West, originally from Grantham, purchased a map of Lincolnshire on eBay for £90 to help with her family history search.
Although the map is now framed on Amanda’s wall, she took it out, photographed it and shared it on the Grantham Memories Facebook page, where users could see how some of the village names have changed.
“It’s quite a quaint thing,” said Amanda.
She added: “I have looked at a lot of my family history and wanted to figure out where my ancestors came from and I thought this would be useful.
“It’s been very useful in fact. For instance, I had an ancestor that was born in a place called East Stoke and I thought it was Stoke-on-Trent or something.
“It turns out it was what Stoke Rochford used to be called. It shows us how places have changed their names.
“It just helps give a new perspective on things. It’s a beautiful thing in itself.”
On the map, some villages in Lincolnshire have different names or they are spelt differently to what they are today. These include:
• Barrowby - Boreby
• Stroxton - Strawton
• Great Ponton - Paunton Magna
• Gonerby - Gunwarby
• Belton - Belti
• Louth - Loutheask
• Market Rasen - Market Rafen
• Donington - Dinnington
• Gosberton - Gofberton
• Bourne - Bourn
• Thurlby - Tharleby
• Holbeach - Holbech
• Wigtoft - Wigtost
• Boston - Bofton
• Friskney - Frifkney
• Wainfleet - Waynfleet
• Skegness - Skegnes
• Ingoldmells - Ingoldmeles
On the map, some villages appear to have an ‘F’ where an ‘S’ would normally be.
Ruth Crook, of Grantham Civic Society, explained that a capital ‘F’ would replace an ‘S’ in the middle of a word, but still use the sound of an ‘S’.
If a double ‘S’ was in the middle of a word, this would be written as a capital ‘F’ followed by a lowercase ‘f’.
This was to indicate the softer sound of an ‘S’. At the beginning and ends of words featuring an ‘S’, these would be written with the normal letter.
The map, which is 44cm by 39cm, is from an atlas named ‘Britannia’, created by Robert Morden.
Robert Morden was an English bookseller, publisher, mapmaker, globe maker and engraver.
Born in 1650, he was considered one of the first successful commercial map makers of his time.
The ‘Britannia’, which was a new edition of William Camden’s ‘Britannia’, was one of his best known maps, showcasing the counties within South Wales, North Wales and England.
Although Amanda already has the map of Lincolnshire, she plans to buy the same map but in colour.
