Aerial Photographs with Medwyn

As part of our ongoing commitment to the enhancement of our customer service provision we are delighted to announce that Medwyn Parry, our aerial photographic specialist, will be available in the Searchroom on Friday mornings from 9.30 – 13.00.

The Royal Commission’s archive holds the largest collection of aerial photographs in Wales, dating from 1918 to the present day. They comprise both high altitude vertical images and low-level oblique images, and provide a stunning insight into how both the rural and urban landscape has changed over time.

Collections include:

• Aerofilms Low-level Obliques: 1919-2006
• RAF Verticals – flown at various heights: 1940-1965
• RAF Low-level Obliques: 1940-1965
• RAF Medmenham Collection – verticals and obliques: c.13939-1945
• Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photography – low-level images capturing, in superb detail, archaeological features in the landscape: late 1950s to early 1960s
• Ordnance Survey Verticals: 1962-2009
• RCAHMW Low-level Obliques – taken by our own aerial photographer: 1986 – present

If you would like to seek any advice about using aerial photographs – for personal research, academic publication, or for business/ commercial purposes, please do drop in and have a word with Medwyn on Friday mornings.

Medwyn explaining the finer details of a vertical aerial photographic view of Aberystwyth to colleagues at our former offices in Plas Crug.

View of Aberystwyth showing the seafront and town in summer, 1932, Aerofilms Collection. Cat. Ref. WPW040024, NPRN 33035.

View of Cardiff docks from the west, 1947, Aerofilms Collection. Cat. Ref. WAW007825, NPRN 91412.

Overview of the aerial photographs, neatly arranged on their shelves in one of our new archive stores at the National Library of Wales.

08/30/2016