Database of historic ports and coastal sailing routes in England and Wales

This data paper presents a reconstruction of historical ports and coastal routes in England and Wales during the age of the sailing ship, ending at the beginning of the twentieth century. The dataset was created by an amalgamation of twenty different sources,including geographical data, primary sources and secondary literature. Ports found in historical documents were listed by year of appearance and georeferenced. Ports that appear in multiple sour-ces were listed only once. Coastal routes between ports were drawn based on navigation charts and bathymetry data, distinguishing five categories with different characteristics. Visibility from the coast was deduced from elevation rasters and lighthouse locations. Subsequently both ports and coastal routes were checked using topo-logical rules to ensure the connectivity of the network. The data is provided in shapefile format with all the attributes and can be analysed using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for different types of geographical and historical studies

Urban Growth and Long-Term Transformations in Spanish Cities Since the Mid-Nineteenth Century: A Methodology to Determine Changes in Urban Density.

The current work models urban growth in the continuous built-up areas of 47 Spanish cities from the mid-nineteenth century through to the present day. We did this by compiling a comprehensive Geographic Information System (GIS) dataset, based on a series of historic maps and aerial images, and then used this to study urban growth and to make spatial comparisons. Our chosen indicator of expansion: population density, was calculated by dividing the total population of each city (based on its municipal area) by its built-up area during each period. Our results revealed four different stages of growth, each of which was characterised by a certain political and economic reality. They showed the clogging up of the walled city, the shaping of the urban ensanches, the maturity of the compact city and the process of metropolisation

Railways, divergence, and structural change in 19th century England and Wales

Railways transformed inland transport during the nineteenth century. In this paper, we study how railways led to local population change and divergence in England and Wales as it underwent dramatic urbanization. We make use of detailed data on railway stations, population, and occupational structure in more than 9000 spatial units. A network of least cost paths based on major towns and the length of the 1851 rail network is also created to address endogeneity. Our instrumental variable estimates show that having a railway station in a locality by 1851 led to significantly higher population growth from 1851 to 1891 and shifted the male occupational structure out of agriculture. Moreover, we estimate that having stations increased population growth more if localities had greater initial population density and for those 3–15 km from stations, they had less growth compared to localities more distant from stations. Overall, we find that railways reinforced the population hierarchy of the early nineteenth century and contributed to further spatial divergence. Their implications for the geographic distribution of population were large

Electronic catalogue of urban contemporary cartography in Spain, 1800-1950

El campo de la cartografía histórica ha hecho muchos avances en los últimos años, no solo por el esfuerzo de los investigadores, sino también por la continua labor de digitalización, puesta en valor y difusión de los documentos disponibles en los diferentes archivos institucionales y privados, que en muchos casos ya están disponibles en repositorios digitales. Este proyecto se enmarca en esta voluntad de facilitación de la labor del investigador, a partir de la creación de un catálogo de cartografía urbana histórica entre el año 1800 y el 1950, que pretende ser un punto de partida y de encuentro para la creación de un directorio centralizado en el que se pueda tener disponible toda aquella cartografía que permita el estudio histórico de la ciudad en España. Este catálogo aúna casi 1.000 mapas de 131 ciudades, esperando poder ir ampliándose en un futuro cercano.The contemporary cartography field has made many advances in the last few years, not only because of the researchers' efforts, but also because of the digitalisation work. As a result of this task, many documents in private and institutional archives are now available in digital repositories. This project is framed in this will to ease researcher's work by the launch of an electronic catalogue of urban contemporary cartography in Spain between the years 1800 and 1950. The catalogue is aimed to be a starting and encounter point for the creation of a centralised directory to approach the historical study of the city in Spain. It combines more than 1.000 maps from 131 cities, waiting to be increased in a near future

Catálogo digital de cartografía urbana contemporánea en España (1800-1950)

El campo de la cartografía contemporánea ha hecho muchos avances en los últimos años, no solo por el esfuerzo de los investigadores, sino también por la continua labor de digitalización, puesta en valor y difusión de los documentos disponibles en los diferentes archivos institucionales y privados, que en muchos casos ya están disponibles en repositorios digitales. Este proyecto se enmarca en lla voluntad de facilitar la labor del investigador, a partir de la creación de un catálogo de cartografía urbana contemporánea entre los años 1800 y 1950, que pretende ser un punto de partida y de encuentro para la creación de un directorio centralizado en el que se pueda tener disponible toda aquella cartografía que permita el estudio histórico de la ciudad en España. Este catálogo aúna más de 1.000 mapas de 131 ciudades, esperando poder ir ampliándose en un futuro cercano

The railway network and city system: a long term quantitative analysis from the perspective of regional planning [PhD Thesis abstract]

The main objective of this thesis is to help improve our understanding of the role played by railway infrastructure as an instrument to support territorial development. It is evident that the railway has influenced the process that has shaped today's city system, but the precise mechanisms responsible for this have yet to be well defined. Two complementary approaches have been proposed to help do this. One of these involves using new databases, detailed at the local level but providing exhaustive coverage for each territory. These data series span a period stretching from the mid-19th century to the present day. Their subsequent analysis provides us with quantitative results, which offer a high degree of precision, for both the regional and national levels. The other implies carrying out a series of specific case studies that facilitate our understanding of certain discrepancies with respect to the generally observed patterns.El objetivo principal de esta tesis es ayudar a mejorar nuestra comprensión del papel que desempeña la infraestructura ferroviaria como instrumento para apoyar el desarrollo territorial. Es evidente que el ferrocarril ha influido en el proceso que ha dado forma al sistema urbano actual, pero los mecanismos precisos responsables de esto aún no se han definido bien. Se han propuesto dos enfoques complementarios para ayudar a hacer esto. Una de ellas implica el uso de nuevas bases de datos, detalladas a nivel local pero que proporcionan una cobertura exhaustiva para cada territorio. Estas series de datos abarcan un período que abarca desde mediados del siglo XIX hasta nuestros días. Su análisis posterior nos proporciona resultados cuantitativos, que ofrecen un alto grado de precisión, tanto a nivel regional como nacional. El otro implica llevar a cabo una serie de estudios de casos específicos que faciliten nuestra comprensión de ciertas discrepancias con respecto a losvpatrones generalmente observados.L'objectiu principal d'aquesta tesi és ajudar a millorar la nostra comprensió del paper que exerceix la infraestructura ferroviària com a instrument per recolzar el desenvolupament territorial. És evident que el ferrocarril ha influït en el procés que ha donat forma al sistema urbà actual, però els mecanismes precisos responsables d'això encara no s'han definit bé. S'han proposat dos enfocaments complementaris per ajudar a fer això. Una d'elles implica l'ús de noves bases de dades, detallades a nivell local però que proporcionen una cobertura exhaustiva per a cada territori. Aquestes sèries de dades abasten un període que abasta des de mitjan segle XIX fins als nostres dies. La seva anàlisi posterior ens proporciona resultats quantitatius, que ofereixen un alt grau de precisió, tant a nivell regional com a nacional. L'altre implica dur a terme una sèrie d'estudis de casos específics que facilitin la nostra comprensió de certes discrepàncies pel que fa als patrons generalment observats

Guía básica para la comprensión y redacción de textos académicos para estudiantes de la UOC

Learning material of the "Universitat Oberta de Catalunya".Recurs d'aprenentatge de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.Recurso de aprendizaje de la "Universitat Oberta de Catalunya"

Urban Growth and Long-Term Transformations in Spanish Cities Since the Mid-Nineteenth Century: A Methodology to Determine Changes in Urban Density

The current work models urban growth in the continuous built-up areas of 47 Spanish cities from the mid-nineteenth century through to the present day. We did this by compiling a comprehensive Geographic Information System (GIS) dataset, based on a series of historic maps and aerial images, and then used this to study urban growth and to make spatial comparisons. Our chosen indicator of expansion: population density, was calculated by dividing the total population of each city (based on its municipal area) by its built-up area during each period. Our results revealed four different stages of growth, each of which was characterised by a certain political and economic reality. They showed the clogging up of the walled city, the shaping of the urban ensanches, the maturity of the compact city and the process of metropolisation

Ferrocarril y sistema de ciudades. Integración e impacto de las redes ferroviarias en el contexto urbano europeo

Railway networks and city systems have been interacting for almost two centuries. The role planned by transport infrastructure on urban development and configuration of territories is hardly questionable. Railway networks were projected in a pre-existing territory and subject to strong geographical constraints, which conditioned their spatial fit. Cities were enforced to adapt their morphological growth patterns in order to integrate the new infrastructure. Urban morphology, urban and regional planning, the socio-economic system and the logic behind transportation systems were some of the elements most affected by this process. The present paper seeks to highlight the potential of this infrastructure to transform. It does this through bibliographical research that considers both the theoretical approach and the historical perspective. Furthermore, several case studies have been analysed in order to contextualise the main concepts in a European context.Red ferroviaria y sistema de ciudades han estado en constante interacción durante casi dos siglos. El papel que ha tenido la infraestructura de transporte sobre el desarrollo urbano y territorial durante este período es difícilmente cuestionable. El ferrocarril fue proyectado sobre un territorio antropizado y sujeto a fuertes condicionantes geográficos, lo que dificultó su encaje espacial. Las ciudades se vieron obligadas a alterar sus dinámicas de crecimiento para integrar la nueva infraestructura. La morfología urbana, la planificación territorial, el sistema socio-económico o las lógicas de transporte regional fueron algunos de los aspectos que se vieron más condicionados por este proceso. El presente trabajo pretende resaltar este potencial transformador de la infraestructura férrea mediante un trabajo bibliográfico que aborde el marco teórico desde una perspectiva histórica. Se aportan además algunos estudios de caso, con la voluntad de ejemplificar los principales conceptos desarrollados en las principales ciudades europeas.La xarxa ferroviària i el sistema de ciutats han estat en constant interacció durant gairebé dos segles. El paper que ha tingut l'infraestructura de transport sobre el desenvolupament urbà i territorial durant aquest període és difícilment qüestionable. El ferrocarril va ser projectat sobre un territori antropitzat i subjectat a forts condicionants geogràfics, la qual cosa dificultava el seu encaix espacial. Les ciutats es van veure obligades a alterar les seves dinàmiques de creixement per integrar la nova infraestructura. La morfologia urbana, la planificació territorial, el sistema socioeconòmic o les lògiques de transport regional van ser alguns dels aspectes que es van veure més condicionats per aquest procés. El present treball pretén ressaltar aquest potencial transformador de la infraestructura ferroviària mitjançant un treball bibliogràfic que abordi el marc teòric des d'una perspectiva històrica. A més, s'aporten alguns estudis de cas, amb la voluntat d'exemplificar els principals conceptes desenvolupats a les principals ciutats europees