Historic map sheds new light on Hull in landmark year

A new map of Hull is shedding light on the city's history, as it celebrates its year as UK City of Culture.

The new historical map shows in detail how the city looked in 1928 at the height of its maritime, commercial and industrial importance. Significant buildings - like the Royal Institution in Albion Street and the Bank of England on Whitefriargate— are highlighted in colour and labelled.

It tells the story of the city’s making, and its development in brick, stone, dockland infrastructure and street patterns, is clear visually for the first time.

The locations of lost medieval buildings are also included, along with other features that have disappeared such as the zoological and botanic gardens, former stations and lost churches.

The map also shows how the town’s medieval defences were replaced by city walls at the time of the Civil War, only to be replaced in turn by docks constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries that surrounded Hull’sOld Town to make it an island.

The new historical map of Hull is the work of the Historic Towns Trust and the University of Hull. Published to coincide with the city’s status as UK City of Culture in 2017, the historical information on the map has been researched by David Evans, a retired Hull City Archaeologist, and by Drs David and Susan Neave, authors on Hull’s townscape.

Professor Atkinson said:

The map also includes a gazetteer listing the main buildings and structures and outlining their histories briefly. It also offers colour illustrations of some of the city’s landmarks and a map of Hull by Robert Thew from 1784.

The Historic Towns Trust is a UK charity that promotes interest in the nation’s historic towns and cities through creating new maps of theseplaces.

Professor Keith Lilley, chair of the Trust, described the map of Hull as a very valuable and rewarding project.