Layers of London

Layers of London is a map-based history website developed by the Institute of Historical Research. It gives users free access to historic maps of London and invites them to help build a shared social history of the city by contributing stories, memories and local histories. The site supports exploration by theme, with subjects ranging from transport, housing and trade to education, religion, health, conflict, identity and leisure.

At the heart of the resource are geographical records, which can document an event, building, person, object or landscape feature. Records may include photographs, audio and video, bringing both everyday and notable histories to life. Users can also explore collections that group records around topics such as landmarks, buildings, museum objects or notable people, revealing broader stories across multiple locations. Historic maps, plans and other geographical materials are available as overlays that visitors can switch on and off, adjust for transparency and reorder to compare with records and collections.