GENERAL OUTLINE

The article which follows this introduction was originally written in 2014 for submission to the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History, also known as "SIAH". However, because of the nature of the article, it was decided that "though your article would interest some of our members, it really doesn't fit in the Proceedings. There is also the problem that, as a charity, we cannot be seen to be advertising or endorsing any particular product."

The purpose of the article was primarily to bring to general attention the fact that a free Geographic Information System, (ie QGIS), was now available, totally without cost, to the general public.

Secondly, to advertise the fact that the Ordnance Survey had now made available a series of specially prepared digital maps which were also freely available to the general public without charge.

The article also attempted to explain how these items could be combined by the independent historical researcher to illuminate periods of the past by the use of maps.

The article was prompted by a reference to the use of a "GIS platform" in an article published in the SIAH Proceedings, and to explain what this might mean.

The article has been left in the SIAH preferred format, with footnotes and references etc.