Fairbanks interpretation

[Guest Jeremy]

I thought that it might help with interpreting some of the beautiful scans of Fainbanks' plans that Poppychristina posted if we attempted to overlay them on more recent maps of Sheffield. The Fairbanks plans are just sketches and are not necessarily to scale, so my intent is just to give a modern context rather than to try to work out exactly what was where.

To start with, here's the easiest one, Pardise Square:

Jeremy

[Guest Jeremy]

Hartshead, Campo Lane, Paradise Row. The buildings in Paradise Row are still there today, so I have used those as the anchor point. I'm not quite sure what's going on with New Street—Fairbanks may have exaggerated the bend in order to fit it onto the page of his note book.

[Guest Jeremy]

Central Sheffield. This one comes in three parts as Fairbanks put a right angle into Waingate to fit it onto his page. I love the shape of the parish church in this one.

Any one else want to have a go?

Jeremy

[Bayleaf]

That's quite a challenge you've set yourself Jeremy! Fairbanks plans and even more his sketchbooks really take some interpreting sometimes. North isn't always 'up', and when he puts more than one plan on a single sheet they are often orientated differently.

I wonder if it was anything to do with the cost of paper, trying to make maximum use of what was available? They do make fascinating puzzles though, I look forward to your 'solutions!

Some of his plans are really works of art though. There's a bound set of hand coloured plans in Sheffield Archives of estates in the neighbourhood of Fulwood in the late 18th Century that are real gems.