Symbol on bridge

[Boaty Jo]

Can anyone tell me what this is / represents?

 

If it makes a difference it was up on the Leeds / Liverpool near Foulridge.

[Chris G]

A bench mark - read the spot height on an OS map.

Chris

[PCSB]

I believe it to be an Ordanance Survey benchmark. They are used to record a given height at given locations.

[Ray T]

Benchmark (surveying) - Wikipedia

[Alan de Enfield]

The 'horizontal' mark (the reference point for height) is placed over the 'crows foot' / 'Broad Arrow' which is the mark of the Monarch and shows that it is an official Government mark which was 'paid for by the monarch'

 

It goes back to the very early days of the 14th century and was initially used to mark the Trees that the 'Crown' had paid for, for use by the Navy, it eventually (by the 16th century) became the standard mark for all Government property from 'Prisoners clothing' to military equipment.

 

 

 

And on a MIlitary Rifle 

 

[mrsmelly]

Pussers arrow.

[IanM]

You can be really geeky and have a spreadsheet of all the OS Bench Marks in the UK 🤓

 

 

The one shown as being on the canal bridge abutment is on Blakeley Hall Bridge on the BCN old main line.

[Boaty Jo]

Thanks everyone, very interesting.

 

Funnily enough, in our Dutch talk, we mention the Amsterdam Ordnance Datum or Normaal Amsterdams Peil (NAP).

[dixi188]

18 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

Pussers arrow.

Was that for the rum?

[ditchcrawler]

On a bridge on the Ashby