Place Names
What a Street Name Can Tell You, and What It Cannot
Check a street name’s documented origin, distinguish an official naming reason from later explanations, and describe…
The reading room
All reads
Explore the names, maps, boundaries, landmarks and neighbourhood patterns that make places easier to read.
Maps
Street Map or Transit Map: Which One Fits the Journey?
Street map or transit map: see which view helps you plan services, transfers and the walk to an entrance without…
Boundaries
Boundary Stones Before the Modern Map
Boundary stones reveal how old borders were marked on the ground; learn to trace their likely route without confusing…
Landmarks
The Landmark Myth: A Tall Building Is Not Always a Useful Guide
Choose a useful landmark by how clearly it stands out and relates to your route, so you can distinguish broad…
Neighbourhoods
A First Walk Through an Unfamiliar Neighbourhood
A first walk through an unfamiliar neighbourhood helps you map useful routes, crossings and shared spaces, then choose…