The Industrial Revolution, 1750–1914 · THE MAP AROUND c. 1820

Map of the Industrial Revolution in Europe around 1820

Coal, iron and the canal network

The Industrial Revolution in Europe around 1820: Coal, iron and the canal network. Since 1800, 2 territories changed status on this map: Belgium (Austrian Netherlands to 1795; independent 1830) and Switzerland.

What changes on the map

On the ground

• the Great Northern Coalfield of Northumberland and Durham, the oldest large coal trade in the world
• the Lancashire coalfield, which fuelled the cotton towns built on top of it
• the Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire coalfield, from Leeds to Nottingham
• the North Staffordshire coalfield beneath the Potteries
• the South Staffordshire coalfield — the Black Country of iron, nails and chains
• the small Shropshire coalfield around Coalbrookdale, cradle of coke iron
• the South Wales coalfield, home of Merthyr’s ironworks and later of steam coal for the world’s navies
• the coalfields of Scotland’s central belt, from Ayrshire to Fife
• the copper and tin mines of Cornwall, pumped dry by Watt’s engines

The chapters of this moment

Related maps

• Every map of 1820
• Industrial Revolution maps by year
• Industrial Revolution timeline: every chapter