Descriptive words on OS maps

---

This is a work in progress. Through the Geograph discussion forum we are collecting examples of as many descriptive words as possible used on Ordnance Survey maps at 1:25,000 (25K) and 1:50,000 (50K) scales - and we want examples of others.


Words on maps are of three types.

• Administrative names of local government areas.
• Distinctive names - proper names of places and of items on the ground.
• Descriptive names - generic words defining the character or use of a feature, for example Burial Ground. Some of these are at the site of antiquities not visible on the ground.

In this article we intend to list descriptive names, preferably by themselves, but if necessary as part of a distinctive name - for example "Palace" usually appears with its name such as "St James's Palace".

If possible we will give a link to a Geograph photograph of a feature, but until we have one we may give the grid reference at which there is an example.

Many of the words are the expansions shown in Ordnance Survey Abbreviations.

Tourist features have a symbol and blue wording on 25K, wording on blue background on 50K.

Historical and archaeological features have Gothic wording if non-Roman (before or after the Romans), Sans serif wording for Roman.

Words A to C

Wording	25K	50K	Example	Note
Abattoir	X	X	ST6879 : Entrance to the abattoir and Westerleigh Railhead
Abbey	X	X	TQ3079 : Westminster Abbey, London	Here with Abbey/cathedral symbol on 25K, World Heritage symbol on 50K
Abbey Grounds	X		SP0202 : No dogs in parts
Academy	X		NY3584 : Langholm Academy
Activity Centre	X	X	SD9036 : Coldwell Activity Centre
Adventure Activities	X		SD7912 : Burrs Activity Centre	Tourist site
Agricultural Centre	X	X	NJ7718 : Thainstone Agricultural Centre
Agricultural College	X	X	TL6707 : Writtle Agricultural College, Essex
Air Shaft		X	TR3243 : Ventilation shaft near Guston
Air terminal	X	X	NF6905 : Barra Airport Terminal Building	By the beach airfield on Barra
Airfield (disused)	X	X	NJ2665 : RAF Milltown	With name on 25K
Airfield		X	NO4998 : Gliding Competition at Aboyne Airfield
Airfield	X		TG2339 : Northrepps Airfield	Airstrip on 50K
Airport	X	X	SV9110 : St Mary's Airport
Airshaft	X		SK3380 : Bradway Tunnel Air Shaft
Airstrip	X	X	TQ1761 : Air strip, Rushett Farm	Air Strip on 25K
Aisled House	X	X	NF7320 : Aisled House	Non-Roman
Almshouses	X	X	TL9863 : Almshouses	Non-Roman
AMPHITHEATRE	X	X	ST3390 : Roman Amphitheatre, Caerleon	Tourist site, Roman
Aquarium	X	X	SZ0890 : Bournemouth Oceanarium	Tourist feature
Aqueduct	X	X	SY0783 : Aqueduct, East Budleigh	Also see NN7358 : Footbridge over Tummel Bridge aqueduct where on 50K the word Aqueduct is in blue letters
Animal sanctuary	X		at SU933078
Arboretum		X	SC2781 : The Arboretum at St.John's	Tourist site
Area of Shake Holes	X		SD9970 : Line of shake holes	There are other 'Area of' entries
Arts centre	X		HY2509 : Pier Arts Centre, Stromness	Tourist site
Ash	X		SU4575 : Towards "Ash"	A single tree on a parish boundary
Assault Course		X	at TL810851	"Go Ape" Thetford Forest
Astronomy Centre	X		NX4039 : Craiglemine Cottage	Craiglemine Cottage
Avalanche Shelter	X	X	NG9137 : The avalanche shelters on Lochcarron to Kyle of Lochalsh road
Barn	X	X	ST5038 : Fourteenth-century Abbey barn at the Somerset Rural Life Museum.	Non-Roman
Barracks	X	X	NT2269 : Construction Works, Redford Barracks	With name on 25K
Barrier		X	TQ5477 : River Darent Flood Barrier
Bastle	X	X	NY7790 : Black Middens Bastle House	They occur in counties near the Scottish border.
Bath House	X	X	NS5472 : Remains of Roman Bath House, Bearsden	Tourist site
Baths	X		at SP458772	(Remains of)
Battery	X	X	NJ9605 : Torry Point Battery	Tourist site
Beacon	X	X	SY7881 : Old Navigation Beacon Chaldon Down	Beacons on 50K
Beam Engines	X		SU2662 : Crofton - Pump House	Tourist site
Beech	X		at SP233677	On a parish boundary. Oaks are marked nearby
Beehive Hut	X	X	SX6381 : Beehive hut	Non-Roman
Bield	X		NY1220 : Ruined Bield	N England & Scotland word for sheepfold
Bird Observatory	X	X	SY6868 : Portland Bird Observatory
Bird of Prey Centre	X	X	NM7234 : Achnacroish	Tourist site
Bird Sanctuary	X		SP8740 : Willen Lake in Milton Keynes
Bishop's Palace	X		ST1578 : Ruins of Bishop's Palace. Llandaff, Cardiff	Non-Roman. Old Bishop's Palace.
Blockhouse	X	X	SV8915 : Blockhouse on Tresco	Non-Roman
Blockship	X	X	ND4899 : Blockship on Number 2 Churchill Barrier
Blowing House	X		SX6363 : Blowing house	Non-Roman
Boarded Groin	X	X	at TR340635	Non-Roman
Boat Hire and Trips	X		NM9248 : Linnhe Marine pontoon, Dallens Bay, Appin.	Tourist site
Boat House	X		SP8609 : Sailing club & heron, Weston Turville Reservoir
Boat Trips	X		NH5632 : Boat Trips, Loch Ness	Tourist site
Boat Yard	X		TG3724 : Richardsons Boat Yard
Boating Lake	X		TA0527 : Pickering Park, Hull	Blue lettering
Bothy	X	X	NY6734 : Bothy
Boundary Rock	X		at SX635885
Boundary Work	X		SX6771 : Boundary on Holne Moor
Breakwater	X	X	SX4853 : Mount Batten Breakwater	With name on 25K
Brewery	X	X	TF4958 : Bateman's Brewery, Wainfleet
Brick Works	X	X	NU0909 : Thrunton Brick Works
Broch	X	X	NC0206 : Broch and ruined cottage, Achlochan	Non-Roman
Burial Chamber	X	X	SM7228 : Coetan Arthur burial chamber, St Davids Head	Non-Roman
Burial Ground	X	X	NH3407 : Auchteraw Burial Ground
Burial Mound	X		SO0311 : Enclosure at Cwm Moel	Non-Roman
Burnt Mounds	X	X	HU5361 : Burnt Mound
Business Centre	X		at TQ267342
Business Park	X	X	SU6555 : Chineham Business Park
Butterfly House	X	X	SK5384 : Butterfly House	Tourist site
Butts	X		TL8182 : Rifle Range, Thetford Forest	Rifle butts, not grouse butts
Cairn	X	X	NX4674 : Summit cairn - Drigmorn Hill
Cairn & Cist		X	SH6311 : Cairn & Cist Above Friog	Non-Roman
Cairn Circle & Cist	X	X	SX7478 : Cist burial , Houndtor Down	Non-Roman
Cairnfield	X		at NO827943	Non-Roman
Camp Site	X		NY6760 : Cell block, Featherstone POW camp	Disused PoW camp
Canal	X		SK4092 : Sheffield to Keadby Canal	Blue lettering
Canal Basin	X		NS7276 : The Forth and Clyde canal at Auchinstarry.
Canal Centre	X		ST2788 : Fourteen Locks Canal Centre	Tourist site
Candle Centre	X	X	SN0736 : Cilgwyn candle centre	Tourist site
Canoe Centre	X		SO5924 : A day on the river	Tourist site
Car Compound	X		TQ5081 : Wind Turbine, Hornchurch Marshes	Photo is a wind turbine in the compound
Car Factory	X	X	SK2930 : Toyota Car Factory, Burnaston, Derby
Caravan Site	X		SP4070 : Hill Top Park Princethorpe	Prefabricated mobile homes not touring caravans
Cashel	X	X	NG3768 : Eilean Chaluim Chille	Non-Roman. A cashel is an enclosing wall, usually around a church, and more often seen in Ireland.
Castell	X	X	SM9239 : Castell, Pencaer	Non-Roman. Word Castell alone is at SM765279 on 25K
Castle	X	X	SV8815 : Cromwell's Castle, Tresco, Scilly	Non-Roman
Cathedral	X		NZ2742 : Late evening light on Durham Cathedral	Here with World Heritage symbol
Cattle Grid	X	X	SD9875 : Cattle grid
Cauld		X	NT4914 : Cauld, Wilton	Weir on 25K. The word Cauld appears near the Scottish border.
Causeway	X	X	NU0842 : Refuge on the causeway across Holy Island Sands	Named on 25K, at NU101431
Cave	X		HU5380 : Sea cave below the Heights of Ramnageo
Celtic Monastery	X		HY2328 : Brough of Birsay	Non-Roman
Chair lift	X	X	NO1377 : The Cairnwell chair lift
Chalk Pit	X	X	TG2404 : The chalk pit by Caistor St Edmund
Chalybeate	X		SE7299 : Barn, Job's Well (Chalybeate)	In: Job's Well (Chalybeate)
Chambered Cairn	X	X	NH5364 : Balnacrae Chambered Cairn	Non-Roman. Chambered Cairn (remains of) on 25K.
Chantry		X	TQ6574 : Milton Chantry	Non-Roman
Chapel (rems of)	X	X	TF6741 : Hunstanton - St Edmunds Chapel	Non-Roman. Named on 25K.
Chemical Wks		X	ST5482 : Severnside fertilizer works
China Clay Works	X		SX5762 : Lee Moor China Clay Works
China Clay Workings	X		SX1280 : Stone Circle with modern china clay works.
Church (remains of)	X		TL7280 : Remains of St Peter's Church, Eriswell	Non-Roman
Church	X	X	TL2082 : St Andrew's Church Wood Walton	Non-Roman. Named on 25K.
Cider Farm	X	X	ST2525 : Tanpits Cider Farm, Taunton	Tourist site
Cinema	X		SP3588 : Odeon Bedworth
Cist	X		SX6684 : Fernworthy reservoir cist	Non-Roman. Also in Cairn & Cist, Cairn Circle & Cist
City Farm	X		NT2372 : Gorgie City Farm	Tourist site
City Hall	X		TA0928 : Hull City Hall
Civic Centre		X	TQ2205 : Adur Civic Centre
Clay Pigeon Shooting	X	X	NH9210 : Clay pigeon shooting	Tourist site
Clay Pit	X	X	SX8575 : Southacre Quarry Clay Storage Sheds
Clay Works	X		SX8476 : Newbridge clay works
Cliff Lift	X	X	SZ0890 : Bournemouth: West Cliff Lift
Clinic	X		NY4353 : Entrance to the Carleton Clinic
Club House	X		at SV907117	Most Club Houses have abbreviation CH, this has words
Cnoc	X	X	NG4173 : Cnoc Roll	Named as Cnoc Roll
Coast Guard Lookout Station	X		TF5768 : Coast Guard lookout station at Ingoldmells point
Coastal Park		X	TQ9374 : Barton's point Coastal Park	Tourist site
Coastguard Cottages	X		SZ3084 : Coastguard Cottages near the Needles	On map, but 3 are let out
Coastguard House	X		TA3131 : Coastguard House Seaside Lane Tunstall
Coastwatch Sta		X	TF5768 : Coast Guard lookout station at Ingoldmells point
College	X		TL4561 : Cambridge Regional College
Colliery	X	X	SP2690 : Entrance to Daw Mill Colliery	Named on 25K
Conduit	X		SK2686 : Redmires conduit
Construction Yard		X	NS1853 : Hunterston Construction Yard Basin
Container Terminal	X	X	NS2776 : Container handling machines	Named on 25K
Continental Ferry Port	X		SU6301 : Portsmouth continental ferry port
Control Tower	X		NL9944 : Airport complex Tiree
Convent	X	X	SO8301 : Poor Clares Convent, Woodchester
Conveyor		X	TQ5976 : Aerial Conveyor, West Thurrock	No word on 25K
Conveyor belts		X	TA1716 : Looking towards Immingham Ore Terminal
Copper Mines		X	SH4390 : Flooded copper pits below the summit of Mynydd Parys	Non-Roman
Copper Pits	X		SH4390 : Flooded copper pits below the summit of Mynydd Parys	Non-Roman
Country Club	X	X	SP2285 : Forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club
Country Park	X	X	TF6719 : Bawsey Country Park	Named on 25K
County Hall	X	X	SX9291 : Clock tower, County Hall, Exeter
Covenanter's Grave	X	X	NT0752 : Covenanter's Cairn towards Ayrshire	Non-Roman on similar NS8462 : Covenanter's grave
Covered	X		at NJ142229	in "Fergan's Well (covered)"
Craft Centre	X	X	SJ1258 : Ruthin Craft Centre	Tourist site
Crannog	X	X	NN8637 : Crannog in Loch Freuchie
Crannog (submerged)	X		NN5811 : Loch Lubnaig	Non-Roman. Photo shows loch.
Cricket Ground		X	SK5838 : Trent Bridge cricket ground
Crofts	X	X	NJ3517 : A Netherton croft
Cross		X	SX6671 : Horse Ford Cross	Non-Roman
Cross		X	SX6671 : Horse Ford Cross	Non-Roman
Cultivation Terraces	X		SJ6501 : The cultivation terraces of Arlescott village	Non-Roman
Cup marked Rock	X		NM8603 : Cup-marked rock	Non-Roman. Another nearby is shown as Cup marked Stone.
Cursus	X	X	SU0014 : Down Farm, Dorset Cursus	Non-Roman
Custom House	X		TQ3380 : Custom House, London
Cycle Hire	X		SW9274 : Camel Trail cycle hire at Padstow	Tourist site
Cycle Route		X	TA1729 : Early Morning on the old Hull to Withernsea Railway Track
Cycle Trails		X	SN8586 : Hafren Forest Picnic site	Tourist site, bike symbol on 25K
Cycling Centre	X	X	SJ8798 : Manchester Velodrome	Tourist site - as National Cycling Centre on 25K

---

( Page 1 2 3 4 5 next >> )