Workshop on the role of maps in our history and geology

The workshop, in the parish centre in Berwick from 6.30pm to 8pm, is being run by the community archives and geology projects which form part of the Peregrini Lindisfarne scheme.

Under the guidance of Linda Bankier, of the Berwick Record Office, and Ian Kille, of Northumbrian Earth, the event will also involve practical opportunities to try out some of the techniques.

Maps have been used by people for many thousands of years and for many different purposes. Most commonly we think of maps as something to use to work out how to get somewhere.

But they are also used for planning railway routes, town design, where to put gas and electricity supplies and to mark ownership, from individuals, for example, in house deeds through to whole countries. Maps can also be used as a way of finding resources, for example, water, coal, clay and limestone.

The immense value of maps in so many different ways means that they are an incredibly rich resource when trying to understand not only the human history of an area, but also its geological history.

This workshop will give a practical introduction to the range of maps that are available to help study the history and geology of this area. It will also work through how maps can be used to answer some of the questions that will come up during the archaeological and geological exploration of the various locations to be explored as part of the Peregrini Lindisfarne scheme.

This will include comparing maps of different dates to help demonstrate where and when built structures existed and using geological maps to show the order in which rocks were laid down and how to extrapolate surface information to tell you what is beneath the surface.

The workshop is open to all and is free, but booking is essential. To book a place, contact [email protected]