The most significant body of maps drawn to illustrate urban boundaries in Scotland is now available on the website of the National Library of Scotland.

Plans of 75 Scottish towns were published in 1831-1832 to implement the Reform Act (Scotland) of 1832. They are considered valuable because they:

- include the earliest recorded printed plans that exist for some towns;

- include 36 towns that were mapped for the first time;

- show a considerable amount of the outskirts and land beyond the built-up area;

- depict and name important urban features, such as streets, public buildings, industrial premises and bridges.

The section on the “Great Reform Act Plans and Reports, 1832” has zoomable digital images of all 75 plans. Also zoomable are the pages of a facsimile of the 153-page report to the House of Commons in which the plans were published. The report also contains details of each of the Scottish burghs, visited by the Parliamentary Boundary Commissioners who produced the town plans.

www.nls.uknewsindex.html.