2021

SJ9594 : Cut bench mark on Dowson Road bridge

taken 2 years ago, near to Gee Cross, Tameside, England

Cut bench mark on Dowson Road bridge
Cut bench mark on Dowson Road bridge
On the east side of Dowson Road bridge SJ9594 : Dowson Road bridge. Bench Mark Database: LinkExternal link
Ordnance Survey Benchmarks

The term benchmark, originates from the chiselled horizontal marks that surveyors made in stone structures, into which an angle-iron could be placed to form a "bench" for a levelling rod, thus ensuring that a levelling rod could be accurately repositioned in the same place in future. These marks were usually indicated with a chiselled arrow below the horizontal line.
The height of a benchmark is calculated relative to the heights of nearby benchmarks in a network extending from a fundamental benchmark, a point with a precisely known relationship to the level datum of the area, typically mean sea level. The position and height of each benchmark is shown on large-scale maps.

Bench Mark

Bench marks LinkExternal link were historically used to record the height above sea level of a location as surveyed against the Mean Sea Level data (taken at Clarendon Dock, Belfast, for Northern Ireland data, Newlyn in Cornwall for data in Great Britain and Portmoor Pier, Malin Head, for data relating to the Republic of Ireland). They were used as part of a greater surveying network by the UK Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Northern Ireland (OSNI) and the Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI). If the exact height of one bench mark is known then the exact height of the next can be found by measuring the difference in heights, through a process of spirit levelling. In this way hundreds of thousands of bench marks were sited all around the UK & Ireland from the mid 19th to late 20th centuries. There are several distinct types of bench mark:

- Fundamental bench marks have been constructed at selected sites where foundations can be set on stable strata such as bedrock. Each FBM consists of a buried chamber with a brass bolt set in the top of a granite pillar. See NG8825 : Dornie fundamental bench mark for an example. FBMs were used in Ireland as well as GB but those in Ireland do not have any surface markers, nor are they marked on standard maps.
- Flush brackets consist of metal plates about 90 mm wide and 175 mm long. Each bracket has a unique serial number. They are most commonly found on most Triangulation Pillars, some churches or on other important civic buildings. See J3270 : Flush Bracket, Belfast for an example.
- Cut bench marks are the commonest form of mark. They consist of a horizontal bar cut into a wall or brickwork and are found just about anywhere. A broad arrow is cut immediately below the centre of the horizontal bar. See J3372 : Bench Mark, Belfast for an example. The horizontal mark may be replaced by or contain a bolt - see J1486 : Bench Mark, Antrim.
Other marks include:
- Projecting bench marks such as SD8072 : Projecting Bracket Benchmark on St Oswald's Tower
- Bolt bench marks such as SJ1888 : OSBM bolt on Hilbre Island
- Rivet bench marks such as J3978 : Bench Mark, Holywood
- Pivot bench marks such as SJ2661 : Pivot bench mark on Leeswood Bridge

Bench marks are commonly found on older buildings or other semi-permanent features such as stone bridges or walls. Due to updated mapping techniques and technological advances such as GPS, bench marks are no longer maintained. Many are still in existence and the markers will probably remain until they are eventually destroyed by redevelopment or erosion.


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Gerald England and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Historic sites and artefacts Suburb, Urban fringe Primary Subject: Benchmark other tags: Cut Bench Mark Christmas Day 2021 Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
This photo is linked from: Automatic Clusters: · Road [674] · Dowson Road [362] Other Photos: · Dowson Road bridge ·
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Grid Square
SJ9594, 1859 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Gerald England   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Saturday, 25 December, 2021   (more nearby)
Submitted
Monday, 27 December, 2021
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SJ 9504 9411 [10m precision]
WGS84: 53:26.6241N 2:4.5684W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SJ 9504 9411
View Direction
East-northeast (about 67 degrees)
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Image Type (about): close look 
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