Transcript Calstock Parish Archive

Calstock Parish Archive
History on the Ground Project
What is GIS?
GIS - Geographic Information
Systems. Basically a GIS is a
map which has a database of
information linked to it.
What is GIS?
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A GIS is most often associated with a map. A map, however, is only one way you can work
with geographic data in a GIS, and only one type of product generated by a GIS. A GIS can
provide a great deal more problem-solving capabilities than using a simple mapping program
or adding data to an online mapping tool (creating a "mash-up").
GIS allows us to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in many ways that
reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts.
A GIS helps you answer questions and solve problems by looking at your data in a way that is
quickly understood and easily shared.
GIS technology can be integrated into any enterprise information system framework.
Three ways of viewing a GIS
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A GIS can be viewed in three ways:
The Database View: A GIS is a unique kind of database of the world—a geographic database
(geodatabase). It is an "Information System for Geography." Fundamentally, a GIS is based on
a structured database that describes the world in geographic terms
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The Map View: A GIS is a set of intelligent maps and other views that show features
and feature relationships on the earth's surface. Maps of the underlying geographic
information can be constructed and used as "windows into the database" to support
queries, analysis, and editing of the information.
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The Model View: A GIS is a set of information transformation tools that derive new
geographic datasets from existing datasets. These geoprocessing functions take information
from existing datasets, apply analytic functions, and write results into new derived datasets.
By combining data and applying some analytic rules, you can create a model that helps
answer the question you have posed. In the example below, GPS and GIS were used to
accurately model the expected location and distribution of debris for the Space Shuttle
Columbia, which broke up upon re-entry over eastern Texas on February 1, 2003.
Calstock Parish History on the Ground
Project
Here at the Parish Archive we have a great deal of
information collected and stored over the years.
We are continuing to collect this information
from the community.
In this age of computers and digital information it
makes sense to collect and store this information
in a digital format.
In March 2010 the Archive was awarded a grant by
the Cornwall Community Grass Roots Fund in
order to purchase a GIS.
ESRI Arcview GIS Software
We have chosen to buy ESRI’s Arcview
package as this is most commonly used
throughout organisations such as ours for
mapping and analysis. Indeed Cornwall
Council who we are working closely with, use
it for their mapping needs. Therefore we are
able to share data with Cornwall Council’s
Archaeology Department.
What will we use it for?
Archaeology
As you may be aware the land around us in
Calstock Parish is rich in history and full of
interesting archaeological sites which are not
well known. We want to find these
archaeological intrigues and map them so
they are recorded and people can find them.
Field names
The archive holds many documents dating back
to 1300 which have details of fields,
ownership and field usage. We want to
gradually add this information to our maps so
that people can easily find out what was
happening at a particular place in the past.
We will start by adding field names from the
18
39Tithe map and 18
15Davis map.
Medieval mining
Thanks to the work already carried out by local
archaeologist, Robert Waterhouse, we’re
beginning to find out more about the early
mining history in the parish. Our project aims
to help him in this work by looking for
evidence of the mines in the landscape.
Volunteers
We’re hoping that this project interests you
enough to want to help out. We need two
types of help:
• Typing in information from the written record
to the GIS system
• Finding evidence in the landscape and
recording on the GIS system