Occupational mapping of 1635 Edinburgh: an introduction

Abstract

The focus of this study in occupational mapping is on combining locational data for early modern occupations with a contemporary town plan of Edinburgh, in order to study occupational distribution in the urban environment. Much work has recently been done on the social, economic and occupational structure of burghs, but very little has been done on the physical locations of the various work-types. By combining data from a 1635 tax roll with the corresponding section of the 1647 Gordon of Rothiemay map of Edinburgh, a new tool was formed for visualizing the distribution and physical patterns of urban occupations in the south-east quarter of Scotland’s capital.