Using the bomb damage maps to research the history of your London house
What are the bomb damage maps?
Have you ever wondered what London looked like after World War II bombings? Or perhaps you know that a house in your street stands out as more modern than the rest- and you would like to know why?
The Bomb Damage Maps, created by the Architects Department of the London County Council (LCC), give us a detailed picture. These maps, made up of 110 hand-colored sheets, show where bombs hit from 1916 to 1940.
Using a color code, the maps mark areas from "Total Destruction" to "Seriously Damaged" and "Clearance Areas." They also pinpoint V1 and V2 bomb locations. By looking at these maps, we get a glimpse of a different London before post-war changes. This is the most detailed record available to a house history of damage to the capital’s built environment caused by aerial bombardment.
The full set of maps is made up of 110 hand-coloured 1:2500 Ordnance Survey sheets originally published in 1916 but updated until 1940.
Where can I search the maps?
The original maps are at the London Metropolitan Archives but they can be accessed online via the Layers of London site
How to use Layers of London to explore Bomb Damage map?
To make viewing the map easier, I recommend hiding the pins and expanding the map view to full screen
2. Use ‘Find a Place’ search bar to look for an address
3. Use the Bomb Damage Maps Key below to intepret the map results for your chosen address
