Estate map

In England and Wales, estate maps began to be produced in large numbers during the 16th century.

[2] The availability of new estates as a result of the Dissolution of the Monasteries gave increased impetus to their production.

"Few land surveyors even attempted to show relief; it was not essential to their purpose of recording boundaries and areas".

Typically, little or no detail is shown for land not owned by the person or organisation commissioning the map.

[10] Large numbers of estate maps are found in county record offices, having been deposited with the accumulated documents of a landed family.

Surveying texts became explicit about the need to decorate the maps in a way that emphasised the status of the owner – by the use of coats of arms or depiction of the manor house.