Mapping the street

Before we delve into the occupants, tenants, businesses and activities which have shaped James Street since its inception, it is worthwhile considering the street as a geographic, cartographic entity. The first representation of the street is much different than what we see today, or even by the 1840s. Beaufort's 1801 map of Cork records James Street only three decades after its establishment. Prior to the laying-out of Washington Street (then Great George's Street), and the establishment of the courthouse nearby, Anne Street and the then-named Coburn Lane (now Courthouse Street) extended south as far as Hanover Street, and indeed this block of streets and lanes looked much different.

Beaufort's 1801 map of Cork (c) Cork Past and Present/City Library

James Street is but a small piece of the Cork urban jigsaw, a side-note in the annals of Cork city. This is reflected in its rudimentary entry in the 6" Ordnance Survey map of the 1840s, where the shaded block denotes occupied buildings for James Street , some of Courthouse Street, Anne Street and Nile Street:

6" O.S. Map (c) O.S.I.

Around ten years later, the Griffiths Valuation, a land survey conducted throughout the country, included James Street in its maps. Here we see a somewhat changed urban landscape: the plots between James Street and Washington Street (then Great George's Street) have extended, narrowing the Anne Street junction and regularising the main thoroughfare. The top numbers in each plot denote the number which corresponds with the valuation, and the bottom numbers denote the actual house/premises number, i.e. the street numbers for James Street begin at its north-east corner, at the junction with Courthouse Street.

Griffiths Valuation map (c) AskaboutIreland

The 25" Ordnance Survey map of the late 19th century shows James Street retained much the same layout since the Griffiths Valuation map, the only tangible difference being the addition of pavements in the surrounding streets, likely a result of the increasing market trade and subsequent growth in traffic from incoming carts and horses. This led to the need to separate pedestrians and keep them safe from collision.

25" O.S. Map (c) O.S.I.

...and to the present day. Below is a modern street map of the area, with James Street denoted simply by the term 'street'...clearly an error, that unfortunately makes the street appear to be a part of Gravel Lane. When compared directly to the 25" map above, little change can be observed, except some alterations of inner yards.

Modern street map (beta) (c) O.S.I.

Previous maps, with the area in which James Street is located marked as 'Fenns Marsh', as well as other maps related to Cork City can be viewed at Cork Past and Present.

Historical O.S.I. maps can be viewed at www.osi.ie.