What is this symbol?

Unusual markings, logos and symbols around the city
dsco
Site Admin
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Post by dsco »

Does anybody know what this peculiar mark is? It’s carved into the stone wall on Dock Street, just above street level.The buildings around there have all sorts of unusual features – old loading bays up on the first floor for example, with what look like struts or supports for pulleys and lifting equipment. This thing looks almost Masonic though!
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Benchmark symbol on wall in Dock Street
Benchmark symbol on wall in Dock Street
odd symbol.jpg (163.39 KiB) Viewed 4086 times
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Fraggle rock lover
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Post by Fraggle rock lover »

It looks like an arrow pointing to the level that the water probobaly once reached
M G Thewlis

rikj
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Post by rikj »

It's an Ordnance Survey benchmark that indicates a known vertical elevation. Surveyors would place a levelling rod (bench) into the horizontal groove, which is highlighted by the three arrows underneath. Wikipedia explains the whole thing a lot better than I can.Once you start to look for them they start to appear all over the place.

munki
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Joined: Thu 25 Jan, 2007 5:16 am

Post by munki »

I found this one on Great George Street this morning, outside Carpe Diem.
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Benchmark symbol
Benchmark symbol
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Phill_d
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Post by Phill_d »

Here's a nice concrete example out in the sticks with the serial number on
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os datum.JPG
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Phill_d
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Post by Phill_d »

Ordance survey bench mark s3862
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osbm s3862.JPG
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rikj
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Post by rikj »

That looks familiar phil!There must be a website somewhere where these are all listed.

munki
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Post by munki »

If there isn't, then let's make this that website.
'Are we surprised that men perish, when monuments themselves decay? For death comes even to stones and the names they bear.' - Ausonius.

Phill_d
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Post by Phill_d »

Sounds good to me Rik mate!!
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bigpants
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Joined: Thu 22 Feb, 2007 8:42 am

Post by bigpants »

if you look on OS sheets you will often see benchmarks detailed with their level above ordanance datum (AOD). funnily enough although the OS sheets are pretty accurate plan wise, many of the benchmark levels shown are hopelessly out due to not being re-surveyed with modern methods and movement of the structure its on. The ordnanace datum used is mean sea level at the harbour at Newlyn, Cornwall.the one pictured on the concrete pillar - this could be triangulation point - does it have bronze plate on the top for setting up a theodolite/total station? they are used as fixed reference points. there's one in the field behind the water tower at Garforth. Hi everyone by the way, im new (as i guess are most people!)

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