How we prepare the atlas

Stable identities

Each place has a stable internal numeric identifier. External source identifiers remain separate strings. Records are not merged merely because their names match. Current administration, historic areas and county browsing groups remain distinct.

History with sources

Local history comes first. Original summaries cite published sources beside each paragraph. Unresearched sections are omitted. Recorded folklore is labelled as tradition, and biographical connections identify the relationship between a person and a place.

Nearby heritage is matched by distance from a place point. This is not a claim that a monument lies within the settlement boundary or is part of its history.

Population through time

The main population figures use a verified settlement geography, such as an ONS built-up area, or a clearly identified historical township or parish. The 2021 built-up-area totals describe settlements; their boundaries must not be assumed to match those used in older censuses. Historical areas and modern areas are shown separately.

Neighbourhood census context is available separately in a collapsed section. It describes the statistical area containing the recorded place point, which may cover only part of a town or include several villages. Its long series combines Paul Norman’s census-derived population estimates for 1971–2011 with the ONS 2021 count only where the official geography lookup confirms an unchanged boundary. Historical estimates are rounded to whole people. Where boundaries changed, we use ONS’s 2011–2021 comparison on a common geography instead. Methods and disclosure controls can affect small differences between published totals.

Missing values remain missing. We do not infer a population from a nearby town, treat a missing count as zero or join incompatible areas into a trend. Figures, sources and licences are available alongside each chart.

Maps and illustrations

Prepared boundaries retain their own source attribution. Where a boundary is unavailable the map shows a recorded point. Coordinates and boundaries are reference aids, not legal determinations.

Watercolour and fine ink illustrations show each landmark clearly. Some adapt identified, licensed reference photographs; others are original compositions informed by inspected architectural and historical sources. Credits and researched sources accompany each image. Artistic reconstructions are dated and visibly labelled, with a note explaining the current evidence and uncertain details.

Prepared releases

Source data is downloaded and prepared before publication. Sources are refreshed and checked before publication, so a page keeps the context and retrieval date of its research. Map tiles load separately when a map enters view.

Only substantive editorial profiles are eligible for indexing. Search and directory pages are excluded.