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Explanation of UK Benchmark Types
| Type | Description | Examples |
| Flush Bracket | These are rectangular metal plates affixed to triangulation pillars, walls, buildings etc. If they are not affixed to a triangulation pillar they are often referred to as Non-Pillar Flush Brackets (NPFB). They are about 6" x 3" in size and the location of most of them is known through Ordnance Survey (OS) records. Each Flush Bracket (FB) has a unique serial number which makes them highly 'collectable' and there are several numbering types. | |
| One to four figure number The earliest FBs you can find and date from 1912-1921. Numbered from 1-3000. A few can be found on triangulation pillars. |
5 | |
| S-prefix Introduced in the 1920s these are found on pillars and as NPFBs. There are two sub-types, S below the number and S left of the number. |
S0950 S8628 |
|
| G-prefix First appeared in 1936. Unlike S-series brackets numbers below 1000 do not have leading zeroes. Used extensively in Scotland and never found on triangulation pillars. |
G3646 | |
| L-prefix Just sixteen brackets used in London in the early 1930s. |
||
| Five figure number These are effectively S-series brackets above S9999 where they ran out of room for the S (S-below was discontinued as the S interfered with the measuring equipment). |
11328 | |
| Projecting Bracket | An early type of metal bracket used for a short time before the introduction of flush brackets. They are all the same and have no unique attributes. | Reading, Greyfriar's Church |
| OSBM Bolt | Used alongside the G-series of flush brackets these are placed where there wasn't a convenient building or wall to provide a vertical surface on which to affix a flush bracket. They are domed metal bolts about 1" (50-60mm) in diameter fixed to horizontal surfaces engraved with OSBM and the benchmark symbol. | Caban Coch Dam |
| Cut Bench Mark | By far the most common type. Used and made from the 1800s to around 20 years ago. You won't have to walk (or drive) very far in any village, town or city in Britain before you spot one of these. Chiseled into stone, brick or wood on all sorts of vertical structures. A familiar horizontal levelling line with a three line arrow pointing towards it (usually upwards). Each one is unique depending on the mason who cut it, some are plain, some decorated. Some roughly cut, some exquisitely cut with high accuracy. Some small, some huge. | Wallingford, 60 High Street |
| Cut Bench Mark with Bolt | Old and rare these have a metal bolt screwed either alongside the horizontal cut of a cut bench mark or at the point of the cut arrowhead. Usually has what appears as a screwhead horizontal in the head of the bolt. These are highly prized by benchmarkers. | Dorchester Abbey |
| Rivet | Usually found on horizontal surfaces these are cut marks with a small metal domed brass rivet at the apex of the cut arrowhead marks. | Swyncombe, Icknield Field |
| Pivot | Fairly rare these are used on horizontal surfaces such as soft sandstone, where the insertion of a rivet would break away the stone. They consist of a small hole or depression cut to take a pivot, a steel ball bearing of 5/8" diameter (16mm). In use, the pivot is placed in the depression and the levelling staff held on top of the pivot. | Sutton Bridge |
| Fundamental Bench Mark | These are the key to the whole levelling of the UK. Granite blocks with large domed metal caps. Just like an iceberg this is just the tip of a fairly extensive underground structure. Highly accurate height stations still used today as the baseline to levelling. | Conwy |
| Triangulation Pillar | Familiar to anyone who walks in the British countryside, these can often (but not always) be found at hilltops. Most have a flush bracket affixed to one side. | Huntingland |
this table prepared here.
and check out Jochta's Awesome Benchmark Map Here
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