Red Star to Red Lion: The Soviet Military Mapping of Oxford

Abstract

As part of its global military mapping project, the Soviet Union produced maps of many parts of the world at several scales from 1:1,000,000 to 1:5000. These include general maps designed for military planning and terrain evaluation and highly detailed street plans of towns and cities, including Oxford. The Soviet 1:10,000 plan of the city was compiled, designed and printed in secrecy within the Soviet Union during 1972–1973. It reveals that a high level of information was collected about the location and function of buildings, from the Morris Motors and Pressed Steel Fisher factories at Cowley to Oxford Prison and the Central Post Office in the city centre. Anomalies include the omission of Marston Ferry Road (which opened in 1971) and the inclusion of the two gas holders at St Ebbe’s (which were demolished in 1968). Further afield, the depiction of RAF Upper Heyford on the Soviet 1:50,000 topographic map of 1981 includes details not shown on contemporaneous Ordnance Survey maps. Focusing on the Soviet mapping of Oxford and its vicinity, this chapter provides some new insights into the global project and reflects upon the achievements, methods and supposed purpose of this unprecedented cartographic enterprise.