Examples of Ordnance Survey Abbreviations

---

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

Note that maps may have changed since the article was prepared, so abbreviations mentioned may not be on current maps.

An example - Chy is for Chimney.

Ordnance Survey website has a list Abbreviations used on OS 25k and 50k scale mapping.

The National Library of Scotland maps website has a fuller list Ordnance Survey Abbreviations. Their preamble to the list is:
"We are very grateful to Dr Richard Oliver for compiling this list and allowing us to use it. The abbreviations have been compiled from a number of sources, relating to all scales of Ordnance Survey mapping in Scotland, England and Wales. For more information on these abbreviations and their interpretation, please consult Richard Oliver's book Ordnance Survey maps: a concise guide for historians (London : Charles Close, 1993)."

There is a table of abbreviations in the book "Ordnance Survey Maps - a descriptive manual" by JB Harley, published by Ordnance Survey in 1975. This shows the map scales on which an abbreviation appears. The list below includes the abreviations and expansions which this book shows as appearing on 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 scale maps. Some of these do not appear on current maps, but most do, and examples are welcome through the discussion forum. Where there is no example yet, there is a set of double brackets [[]] - this makes it easier to insert the link to the example when it is found.

The article OS Symbols - Abbreviations on 50K key gives examples of the few abbreviations in the key on 50K maps.

For each abbreviation in the table below there is its expansion. If we have an example, it shows whether it appears on 25K or 50K maps or both in the example, and the title of a Geograph photo showing the item. Click on this to show the photo, its description, and a section of 50K map including the abbreviation. Click on that map section to display the Ordnance Survey online map at 25K. For some abbreviations there may be a grid reference of an example where we have no photograph at present.

Some abbreviations appear in a number of different combinations. For example Coll can be by itself or in "Tech Coll". Abbreviations like dis for "disused", rems for "remains" and Sta for "Station" can appear with several other words or abbreviations. In the list below each abbreviation is given once, with an example of its use.

N S E W for North South East West appear in place names, e.g. as S E Point on SD2361 : South East Point, Walney Island.

An example of use of month name abbreviations is in a seasonal ferry, Apr-Nov in SD3960 : Heysham Harbour entrance.

Some abbreviations have several possible expansions, e.g. CG for Coast Guard or Cattle Grid.
Whether a word is given in full, abbreviated, or omitted depends on the space available on the map. So in many cases whether an abbreviation appears on both just depends on space. However some items given as words on 50K maps have standard symbols on 25K maps - e.g. Recreation Centre.

Names of long distance routes appear in some places on the trail in full, and at other places along the route as initials. For example ELDR at SU995490, European Long Distance Route at TQ017541. So if there are initials, scan along the route to find the full name.

Abbreviation	Expansion	25K	50K	Example	Note
AA	Automobile Association			[[]]
Acad	Academy	X		TQ2978 : Entrance to Pimlico Academy in St George's Square
Allot Gdns	Allotment	X		SE4380 : Allotment Gardens, Sowerby	In: Allot Gdns
Amb	Ambulance			TL5480 : Ely Police Station	In: Pol & Amb Sta
Apr	April	X		SD3960 : Heysham Harbour entrance	Giving months Apr-Nov of operation of ferry
Bdy	Boundary	X		SZ6298 : View Towards Portsmouth	In: UA Bdy
Bks	Barracks		X	SU8752 : Barracks in Aldershot
Bldg	Building			[[]]
Boro	Borough	X		ST4577 : Mudflats with drainage channel	In: Boro Const Bdy
BP	Boundary Post	X		TL1878 : Boundary Post Upton
Br	Bridge		X	ST3186 : Newport Transporter Bridge	In: Transporter Bridge
BS	Boundary Stone	X		SJ9492 : Werneth Bredbury Boundary Stone
Burial Gd	Burial Ground			[[]]
C	Community (Wales)	X		in ST5085	In: C Bdy
Cas	Castle		X	SK5639 : Nottingham Castle
Cath	Cathedral		X	NZ2742 : Late evening light on Durham Cathedral
Cemy	Cemetery	X	X	TL4859 : Cambridge City Cemetery, Newmarket Road
Cen	Centre			[[]]
CG	Cattle Grid		X	NN7268 : The "track" up Meall a' Chathaidh	The grid is on the road across the photo
CG	Coast Guard		X	TF9145 : Coastguard Lookout	In: CG Sta
Ch	Church			[[]]
CH	Club House	X	X	TQ9956 : Faversham Golf Club
Chap	Chapel			[[]]
Chy	Chimney	X	X	TQ8172 : Chimney of Kingsnorth Power Station
Co	County	X		ST4577 : Mudflats with drainage channel	In: Co Const Bdy
Coll	College		X	TL4561 : Cambridge Regional College
Colly	Colliery			[[]]
Const	Constituency	X		ST4577 : Mudflats with drainage channel	In: Boro Const Bdy
Conv Home	Convalescent Home			[[]]
Cott	Cottage			NY9856 : Fell Cottages
CP	Civil Parish	X		SO948365	In: Kemerton CP
Crem	Crematorium	X	X	SO9190 : Gornal Wood Crematorium, near Dudley
Cse	Course		X	SU9577 : Windsor race course	In: Race Cse
Ct	Court	X		SJ9398 : Tameside Magistrates and County Courts
Cvt	Convent		X	SH7782 : Loreto Retreat Centre, Llandudno
Dept	Department			[[]]
Det	Detached			[[]]
dis	disused	X	X	SY6969 : Disused quarry, near Southwell, Portland	In: Quarries (dis)
dismtd	dismantled		X	SP3665 : Offchurch Cutting	In: dismtd rly
Dist	District	X		SK4092 : Sheffield to Keadby Canal	In: Met Dist Bdy
Dk	Dock			[[]]
E	East	X		SD2361 : South East Point, Walney Island	In placename: S E Point
El	Electric(ity)				Examples follow
El Dist Sta	Electricity Distribution Station	L		SX2482 : Electricity sub-station near Trethinna	shown on 10K map
El Gen Sta	Electricity Generating Station			[[]]
El Sub Sta	Electricity Sub Station	X	X	TG2406 : Electricity sub-station in Trowse
El Tfmr Sta	Electricity Transformer Station			[[]]
El Wks	Electricity Works			[[]]
ELDR	European Long Distance Route	X		SU9949 : Narrowboat in Millmead Lock, Guildford, Surrey
Emp	Employment			[[]]
Emp Ex	Employment Exchange			[[]]
Eng Wks	Engineering Works			[[]]
ESS	Electricity sub-station	L		TF2411 : Utilitarian brick building at the sub-station	Abbreviation on 10K map
Ex	Exchange	X		NJ9341 : Auchnagatt Telephone Exchange	In: Tel Ex
F	Fire	X		TL1860 : Fire & Ambulance Stations, Huntingdon Street	In: F Sta
Fall	Waterfall	X		SN8487 : Confluence of Hore and Severn	Just upstream from this confluence
FB	Footbridge	X		NN9895 : Footbridge near the Corrour bothy - 2
Ferry F	Ferry - Foot			[[]]	Ferry P is used on recent maps
Ferry P	Ferry - Passenger		X	SZ6398 : Solent Express Arrives at Southsea, Hampshire	Wording Hovercraft Ferry P at SZ6296 on 50K
Ferry V	Ferry - Vehicular		X	SZ3589 : "Caedmon" docking at Yarmouth	Wording Ferry V at SZ3591 on 50K

Abbreviation	Expansion	25K	50K	Example	Note
Fm	Farm		X	TL5862 : Vicarage Farm, Swaffham Prior	In: Vicarage Farm
Gas Gov	Gas governor			TM3779 : Gas Decompression Station	On 10K map
Gd	Ground	X		TL1122 : Crawley Green Road Recreation Ground	In: Sports Gd
Gdns	Gardens	X		SE4380 : Allotment Gardens, Sowerby	In: Allot Gdns
Gen Sta	Generating Station			[[]]
Govt	Government	X	X	ST1781 : Government offices, Llanishen, Cardiff	In: Govt Offices
GPO	General Post Office			[[]]	Not on recent maps
GVC	Gas Valve Compound	X		at SJ765058	also ST1295 : Gas Valve Compound near Nelson has GVC on 1:10,000 scale map
H	Hydraulic	X		SS5339 : Hydraulic Ram near Patsford	As H Ram for Hydraulic Ram
H M	Her (His) Majesty's	X	X	SX5874 : Dartmoor Prison front door	e.g. in: Her Majesty's Prison
Hd	Head			[[]]
HM	Her Majesty's / His Majesty's	X		SU6201 : HMS Glasgow berthed at Portsmouth Dockyard	25K has HM Naval Base (no space between letters)
HMYOI	Her (His) Majesty's Young Offenders Institution		X	NS9178 : Polmont Young Offenders institution
Ho	House		X	TL4874 : The Burystead manor house, Wilburton, Cambs	In: Manor House
Hospl	Hospital		X	SP3168 : 64-slice CT scanner at the Warwickshire Nuffield Hospital, Blackdown
HPO	Head Post Office			[[]]
HQ	Head Quarters	X		NH6844 : Northern Constabulary Headquarters, Inverness	In: Police HQ
HWMS	High Water Mark (Springs)			[[]]
HWM	High Water Mark			[[]]
I	Island, Isle			[[]]
Ind Est	Idustrial Estate		X	NT0068 : Livingston Distribution Centre
Infy	Infirmary	X		NU1913 : Alnwick Infirmary [3]	Being changed to the standard abbreviation Infmy
Infmy	Infirmary		X	NY3856 : Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle
Inst	Institute		X	NS4864 : Paisley Town Hall	In: Research Inst
Instn	Institution			[[]]
IRB	Inshore Rescue Boat	X	X	SN5881 : Aberystwyth Lifeboat Station	In: IRB Sta
Iss	Issue	L		ST1789 : Issue and sink, Rectory Road, Bedwas	water issue, shown on 10K map
Isoln Hospl	Isolation Hospital			[[]]
Junc	Junction			[[]]
L	Lake			[[]]
L	Loch			[[]]
L	Lock			[[]]
LB	Lifeboat	X	X	SW3526 : Sennen Cove Lifeboat	In: LB Sta
LB	London Borough			TQ2382 : Canalside garden, Kensal Green	In: LB Bdy
LC	Level Crossing		X	TL5957 : Westley Bottom level crossing
Liby	Library	X	X	TL4458 : Cambridge University Library
Lo	Lodge			[[]]
Look	Lookout		X	SW6951 : St Agnes Head coastguard station	In: Look Sta
Lr	Lower			[[]]
LRTS	Light Rail Transit System	X		SK5448 : Tram at Butlers Hill stop
LWM	Low Water Mark			[[]]
LWMS	Low Water Mark (Springs)			[[]]
m	metres			[[]]
Manor Ho	Manor House		X	TL4874 : The Burystead manor house, Wilburton, Cambs
Meml	Memorial		X	SN5781 : Aberystwyth War Memorial
Met	Metropolitan	X		SK4092 : Sheffield to Keadby Canal	In: Met Dist Bdy
Met Sta	Meteorological Station	X		NY6978 : Coalburn Meteorological Station
MH & MLW	Mean High and Mean Low Water	X		ST4978 : East Pier at Royal Portbury Dock
MH & MLWS	Mean High and Mean Low Water (Springs)	X		HZ2069 : View across South Harbour, with Tirricks
MHWS	Mean High Water (Springs)	X		NM2257 : Loch Eatharna, Coll
MHW	Mean High Water	X		ST4978 : East Pier at Royal Portbury Dock	Also TL3874 : River Great Ouse, Earith, Cambs in the Fens
Mkt	Market	X		SJ9399 : Ashton Market
MLW	Mean Low Water	X		TF6337 : Low tide
MLWS	Mean Low Water (Springs)	X		NM2356 : Eilean Eatharna, Arinagour, Coll
Mon	Monument	X	X	SU4029 : The monument at Farley Mount
Mort	Mortuary			[[]]
MP	Mile Post	X	X	NM5137 : Rustic Mile Post
Mr	Manor			[[]]
MS	Mile Stone	X	X	SU3468 : Mile stone
Mt	Mountain			[[]]
Mtl Hospl	Mental Hospital			[[]]
Munl	Municipal			[[]]
Mus	Museum		X	TL4459 : Folk Museum, Northampton Street

Abbreviation	Expansion	25K	50K	Example	Note
N	North	X		SD2362 : Shelly Bars and North East Point	In placename: N E Point
No	Number	X	X	HY4800 : Lamb Holm: view across the Churchill Barrier towards Holm
Nov	November	X		SD3960 : Heysham Harbour entrance	Giving months Apr-Nov of operation of ferry
NT	National Trust			[[]]
NTL	Normal Tidal Limit	X		SX7444 : Head of Bowcombe Creek	Also TL3672 : Brownshill Lock and Staunch in the Fens
NTS	National Trust for Scotland			[[]]
Obsy	Observatory		X	SY1388 : Norman Lockyer Observatory Sidmouth Devon
P	Passenger	X	X	SX8851 : Kingswear: the passenger ferry from Dartmouth	In: Ferry P
P	Post Office		X	ST4541 : Meare: the post office/stores	PO on 25K
Pal	Palace			[[]]
PC	Public Convenience	X	X	SU2408 : Public toilets at Bolderwood car park, New Forest
PH	Public House		X	TR0150 : The Halfway House Pub at the Challock roundabout
Pl	Place	X		TQ7555 : Lockmeadow Market	In: Mkt Pl
Plantn	Plantation		X	SE6959 : Sleepers in Whey Carr Plantation
PO	Post Office	X		ST4541 : Meare: the post office/stores	P on 50K
Pol	Police	X		TL1860 : Police Station, Dovehouse Close	In: Pol Sta
Pp	Pump	X		TL5799 : Pump house by the Old Bedford River	In: Pp Ho
Ppg	Pumping	X		TL4482 : Pumping station from the bank of the Old Bedford River	In: Ppg Sta
Presby	Presbytery			[[]]
Pt	Point			[[]]
R	Rifle		X	TL0689 : Oundle School Rifle Range	In: R Range (Red lettering)
R	River		X	TQ5375 : River Darent	In: River Darent
RAC	Royal Automobile Club			[[]]
Rec	Rectory			[[]]
Recn	Recreation		X	SU4402 : Gang Warily Community Centre, Hants	In: Recn Centre
rems	remains		X	TL7280 : Remains of St Peter's Church, Eriswell	In: Church (rems of)
Resr	Reservoir	X		NY4078 : Covered Reservoir
rly	railway		X	SP3665 : Offchurch Cutting	In: dismtd rly
S	South	X		SD2361 : South East Point, Walney Island	In placename: S E Point
Sanatm	Sanatorium	X		SU1868 : Marlborough - College	This is a college sanatorium
Sch	School	X	X	TQ8065 : Rainham Girls School	Sch on 50K, plural Schs on 25K
Sd	Sound			[[]]
Sks	Sinks		L	ST1789 : Issue and sink, Rectory Road, Bedwas	stream sinks, word on 10K map
Sl	Sluice		X	TF5801 : The A G Wright Sluice	Named on 25K
Spr	Spring	X		SP0133 : Spring rising	Blue lettering
St	Saint			[[]]
Sta	Station	X	X	TF9145 : Wells Lifeboat Station	Here in: Lifeboat Sta

Abbreviation	Expansion	25K	50K	Example	Note
T	Telephone			[[]]
TA	Territorial Army			NS3437 : Territorial Army Depot	In: TA Centre
Tech	Technical	X	X	SP3278 : Development at the Tech	In: Tech Coll
Tel	Telephone	X		NJ9341 : Auchnagatt Telephone Exchange	In: Tel Ex
Ter	Terminus			[[]]
TH	Town Hall	X	X	SZ0891 : Bournemouth Town Hall
Toll	Toll Gate or Bridge			TL3910 : Toll Gate, Rye Road
TV Sta	Television Station	X		TQ3369 : Radio Transmitter off S Norwood Hill
Twr	Tower	X	X	TL2717 : Bull's Green Water Tower	In: Water Tower
UA	Unitary Authority	X		SZ6298 : View Towards Portsmouth	In: UA Bdy
Under Const	Under Construction			[[]]
Univ	University	X	X	SN5981 : Belltower and Arts Centre, University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Upr	Upper			[[]]
V	Vehicle		X	SX8851 : Lower vehicle ferry across the Dart	In: Ferry V
Vic	Vicarage	X		SJ0075 : Bodelwyddan Church Vicarage
W	Well	X		NY7868 : 19th century well on English side of Hadrian's wall at Housesteads Fort	Blue letter
Wd Pp	Wind Pump			[[]]
Wd Sock	Wind Sock		X	at NZ102597	For NZ1059 : Northumbria Gliding Club
Wks	Works		X	TL5454 : Fleam Dyke Pumping Station
Wr	Water	X	X	TL2717 : Bull's Green Water Tower	In: Water Tower
WT Sta	Wireless Station (Transmitting or Receiving)			TQ4658 : Radio Masts in Knockholt
Y	Youth Hostel			[[]]
				[[]]

Many thanks to Geograph contributors who have suggested examples.

---