Cambridge, Cambridge University, Local Interest

Libraries, Museums, Shops and University Departments:

• African Studies Library. Has a small collection of maps.

• Blackwell's Map Centre. Small selection of maps at the Trinity Street shop or order Ordnance Survey large and small scale products online. Site offers various means of finding the maps that cover area of interest.

• British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Research Institute which also produces and publishes maps (paper and digital). The website also provides access to the SCAR catalogue of maps of the Antarctic region.

• Cambridge Archivists Group. For archivists and others who are interested in the profession in Cambridge. Find details of local events taking place, as well as news features on projects in the city.

• Cambridge Dissertation Fair. Guide to library and archive collections in Cambridge that might provide original source material for your dissertation. Includes tips on using archives.

• Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photography - CUCAP. An important collection of aerial photographs taken since 1945, mostly covering Britain but also including Ireland and some European countries. Catalogue is available online where a pale dot in the centre of the marker pin indicates that there is a thumb nail image, some of which will also be viewable in Cambridge Digital Library (CUDL). For further information on aerial photograph collections see the relevant section of our Cartographic Resources LibGuide page.

• Cambridgeshire Archives Service. Located in Ely since 10 December 2019.

• Cambridgeshire Collection. On the third floor of Cambridge Central Library (Lion Yard) the Cambridgeshire Collection has an extensive collection of maps, pictures, books, etc. of local interest. You can search parts of their online catalogue by selecting, for example, Cambridgeshire Collection monographs or illustrations (see list on left side of screen). In 'Advanced Search' you can search only for maps or illustrations by using the 'Collection' drop down list.

• Cambridge Group for the History of Population & Social Structure. Lots of map-based research and studies. Have created GIS boundary datasets and several transport-related datasets.

• Department of Earth Sciences. The Library has a large collection of geological maps. Also check out their Digital Map Library.

• Department of Geography. The Department has a Map Library which is open to visitors by prior appointment. To arrange a date/time to visit, please email library@geog.cam.ac.uk or call 01223 333391. Access is only permissible during the main Geography Library’s opening hours though it closes 30 minutes before the main Library does. The Department no longer has a Cartographic Unit. Other resources include the Computing, Automated Cartography and Remote Sensing facilities, and the Data Sources and Geographical Information links on their Intranet (note that the latter site may only be available within the University and that the data sources may only be available for use by Geography Department staff and students, but the list may give you ideas and you can then get in touch with the Department). See also Cambridge University Geographical Society (CUGS) the student-run society for Geography students at the University of Cambridge.

• Whipple Museum of the History of Science. Scientific instruments, globes, etc.

Local and National Government:

• Cambridge City Council.

• Cambridge City Council - Monitor Planning Applications Online. Also look at the Planning Portal, the UK Government's online planning and building regulations resource where it is possible to create a site location plan. The Boundary Problems website may also be of interest.

• Cambridgeshire Online Directory. Find events, clubs, courses, etc.

• My Cambridgeshire. Enter your postcode and see, for example, the name of your ward or a selection of your nearest local services. Includes maps.

• Land Registry. "The world's largest property database". Property information for England and Wales. This is a charged service and no maps can be seen online.

Maps, Photographs, etc.:

• British Historic Towns Atlas : Cambridge by M.D. Lobel. Published 1975 by the Historic Towns Trust (HTT), written by M.D. Lobel [hard copy in CUL Map Room Atlas.4.08.2 but also viewable/downloadable online]. Also, published in 2023, is and updated HTT map of Cambridge 

• Cambridge Community Archives Network (CCAN). Mainly photographs but includes some maps. Also includes Robert Sayle Memory Store.

• Cambridge Antiquarian Society website has images of maps of Cambridge and Cambridgeshire from the 16th to 20th centuries.

• Cambridge Historian. Website with blog posts and images about Cambridge run by local resident Fonz Chamberlain.

• Capturing Cambridge. Encourages people of all ages to discover the fascinating and inspiring histories of our streets. Mostly pictures but are all linked to a base map.

• Cartophilia (previously Genmaps). Old maps of the counties of England, Wales and Scotland.

• Fading Images. About Cambridge photographers. Includes images. Also FadingImagesBlog.

• Flood map for Planning. Find out if your house is in an area liable to flood

• Hurst Park Estate History. History of a 1930s estate in Chesterton, Cambridgeshire.

• Lost Cambridge. Blog maintained by Antony Carpen about the history of the borough of Cambridge.

• Mike Petty's website. Lots of useful information plus index to range of newspaper articles. Also Cambridge Scrapbook 1888-1990

• Norfolk Insight. (previously known as Norfolk Data Observatory). Provides access to a wide range of definitive, high quality statistics and indicators at multiple geographic levels across the county.

• Victoria County History. Volumes II to X (excluding VII) of the Cambridgeshire volumes are available online

Societies:

• Cambridge Antiquarian Society. Lectures, conferences and outings plus publications.  Also old maps of Cambridge. See also The Conduit.

• Cambridgeshire Association for Local History. Provide a co-ordinating role for all the local history societies in Cambridgeshire. Also arrange lectures and occasional outings.

• Cambridgeshire Records Society. Publishes facsimiles of several Cambridge maps.

• Cambridge University Expeditions Society (CUEX). Their library of past reports, etc. is held in the Map Department. Partial catalogue (PDF file). Society archives held in CUL's Department of Manuscripts and Archives can be found on ArchiveSearch

• Cambridge University Geographical Society (CUGS). Student-run society for Geography students at the University of Cambridge.

• The Conduit.  A guide to Cambridgeshire's local history and archaeology organisations, societies, events and lectures. Published as a supplement to the Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society in September each year and available also online.