Heritage and Antiquities

For Ordnance Survey purposes, antiquities are defined as existing artificial features of a date not later than AD 1714 (the date of the accession of George I). These antiquities are captured along with very important battlefield sites and natural features connected with important historic events. Features and sites of a date later than AD 1714 may be treated as antiquities as an exception if they are of national importance.

The investigation, recording and surveying of archaeology is the responsibility of English Heritage, Historical Environment Scotland (HES) and Cadw (Wales). Antiquity find sites are not shown in OS MasterMap Topography Layer. Ordnance Survey has no responsibility for defining the authenticity of distinctive or descriptive names of antiquities.

Due to the variety of physical features in the Heritage and Antiquities theme, an exhaustive list is not provided, but the following are included:

• Standing Stones

• Earthworks

• Hill Figures

• Ruined Buildings

• Tombs

• Stone Circles

Some non-physical features are shown in the Heritage and Antiquity theme, including:

• Textual Descriptions for the real-world objects

• Battle Sites, as either text or a symbol

There are some limitations on what can be shown, imposed by survey principles. Many earthworks are of low relief and do not meet Ordnance Survey’s minimum criteria. To depict the feature clearly, it may be necessary to exaggerate antiquity detail. In mountain and moorland areas, some antiquity features may be generalised, without losing the essential characteristics of the depiction.