A useful exercise for a local history group is to make a list of existing parish or manor boundary markers. Once the list is made, a map can be created using Google Maps which can be shared publicly online. As well as being a valuable historical record, the list and map can be used for local history talks and/or walks. The Dulwich Local History group has done just that.

Getting the list of markers together is the hard part. In the past it was usual to make an annual formal tour of the parish boundaries so that liability for church repairs or the right to be buried in the churchyard were not disputed. ‘Beating the Bounds’, as it was known, also had an important practical purpose. Checking the boundaries was a way of preventing encroachment by neighbours as sometimes boundary markers were moved.

As a starting point, your area might have an old list in a parish magazine or minute book but walking the boundary yourself is unavoidable. You’ll almost certainly need to walk it more than once, in different seasons perhaps, and sharp eyes will be invaluable. Parish markers were traditionally made of stone though often replaced in the 19th century by cast iron, and many boundaries were also marked with trees, in particular keep an eye out for surviving ancient oaks as they can be useful indicators. Parish and manor boundaries also tend to follow natural features, such as a ridge of hills, ancient path or water course and all of these can be useful in tracking down hidden or lost markers. If you are lucky, some early maps, including Ordnance Survey maps, may show boundary markers and some markers are on local lists of historic buildings and monuments. We have found boundary markers in people’s gardens, hiding in plain sight on a busy road (albeit covered in many coats of paint) and even one half-buried in a park flowerbed.

Once you have your list, creating a Google MyMap is surprisingly easy and very effective. Go to Google My Maps (https://mymaps.google.com/) and make sure you're signed in with your Google account - if you don’t have one, you’ll need to create it first. Click on the red ‘Create a New Map’ button and give your map a name and description. You will then see the basic Google map we are all familiar with. To enter points on your map you type an address into the search bar and when the location appears, click ‘Add to Map’. For each marker, you can edit the name, add a description, change the icon, and even upload photos. Type your next address and click ‘Add to Map’ and so on. If your boundary marker doesn’t equate to a precise street address, just use the closest address you have and once you have added it to your map you can move the icon to exactly where you want it. Once you’ve finished adding in your addresses, you’ve made your map! You can then click ‘Share’ which will generate a link. At this point you can choose whether to make it visible to the general public or just to people who have your link; you can also embed your map in a website. Your map is automatically saved to your Google Drive so to access it later, either go to Google My Maps or look in your Google Drive folder. Going forward, if more markers come to light you can add them to the map, or indeed subtract – but let’s hope it doesn’t come to that!

Our boundary marker map can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/dulwichboundary. We have also made maps of historical plaques, some of our local history walks, and even of defibrillators in Dulwich!

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