Mapping a Changing Landscape: Breckland c.1750-1920

The landscape of Breckland was transformed in the course of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries through a series of overlapping processes directed by the large estates which came to dominate the area. These changes included the enclosure and attempted reclamation of heathland, the expansion of gardens and parks around country houses, the closure and diversion of roads and, most notably in terms of visual impact, widespread tree-planting. This paper discusses an ongoing project to map landscape change in the area in the post-medieval period, drawing on a range of contemporary sources and utilising the capabilities of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) software in order to build a clearer picture of the evolving post-medieval landscape.