The first precisely surveyed maps of Wester Ross were not available until Ordnance Survey maps were published in the nineteenth century. Before this, the earliest maps were based largely on travellers’ reports or imprecise survey, but they do reveal detail that would otherwise have been lost. This talk will examine the most significant maps covering the area and discuss their place in helping us to understand the names of Wester Ross.

Nevis Hulme is a former Geography teacher in Gairloch. Now in retirement, he has time to pursue his interest in maps, place-names and Gaelic. He is currently editing Roy Wentworth’s place-name collection and has written articles on diverse topics such as Ordnance Survey name books, nineteenth-century rifle ranges, the Principal Triangulation in Skye and place-names.