This site shows the road-network  from the Highland section of Roy’s Military Survey of Scotland, transposed  to a modern Ordnance Survey map.

The Military Survey of Scotland was the precursor of the Ordnance Survey.  It was launched in the wake of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion, and completed in 1755. The Survey was supervised by William Roy, a young army assistant quartermaster.  He and his co-workers produced  the first modern national map which was genuinely topographical.  It was the first map to describe Scotland’s road system in detail.  Roy’s road-network  predates the agricultural revolution, the industrial revolution, the introduction of turnpike roads and the modern trunk-road system.      

On this site all the roads in the highland section of Roy’s map have been individually examined, assessed throughout their length and  carefully compared with a modern OS map.  The  course of each road has then been ‘layered’ on to the modern map and so appears as a highlight.    

This layout may be an important reference for those researching social history, settlement, transport and ancient roads and pathways.  

It may be useful also,  to those who  enjoy a good walk in a genuinely historical setting.   

 Feedback is important: in particular because the author lacks local knowledge and hopes to encourage participation and correction of any errors so that the site can develop and improve.  Photographs would be especially welcome.  

Roads transposed on to a modern OS map