2016

SK9214 : Bench mark, St Mary's Church, Greetham

taken 8 years ago, near to Greetham, Rutland, England

Bench mark, St Mary's Church, Greetham
Bench mark, St Mary's Church, Greetham
See Link for location.
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.

Church of St Mary, Greetham

The church comprises nave with north and south aisles and south porch, chancel with vestry, and west tower with spire.

The present building dates from the early 13th century, although an earlier church existed and fragments were incorporated in the 19th century. Of the 13th century church, surviving work includes the chancel, the south arcade and aisle, the latter with later windows inserted. The chancel was reduced in length later, possibly in the 14th century, when the church was expanded. This work included the addition of the north aisle, the tower and spire, and the clerestory. The north aisle arcade has four arches compared with the three of the south aisle.

The chancel arch dates from this period and is unusual in being wider than the chancel itself, with the result that the part of the south wall of the chancel was rebuilt at an angle to accommodate it. The lancet window in this section is a 19th century addition, although the other two in the south wall of the chancel are original 13th century.

The tower and spire appear to have been built as a single project, and are a fine example of the Decorated period broach spire of the region. Three tiers of lucarnes are all placed in the cardinal faces, rather than alternating. The deep-set bell-chamber windows show different tracery on the north/south faces compared with the east/west.

There are several items of interest inside the church. The oldest elements are fragments of Saxon and Norman stonework built into the west wall of the south aisle when this was rebuilt in 1897. The south aisle arcade was dismantled and re-erected at this time also.

The font is 13th century in the form of a capital with square top, incorporating carved heads at the corners and dog-tooth moulding. The pulpit is Jacobean, although somewhat restored. Behind it is an ornate wall monument of the early 18th century. Probably also of the Jacobean period are the interesting set of oak panels surrounding the altar. These are not original to the church, and are thought to originate from a church in Sussex. The Victoria County History records them as the gift of Mrs. George Finch, with no date indicated. They display a variety of Old Testament scenes together with a number of heads of apostles, and animals.

On the north aisle wall there is a hatchment of the royal arms from the reign of George I.

The church has a ring of six bells. Five of these were recast in 1923 from the original ring of four by the Croydon firm of Gillett and Johnson. This recasting was done as a memorial to the dead of the First World War. The original bells dated from between 1650 and 1741, and the old inscriptions were transferred to the new bells. A sixth bell was added in 1949. According to The Church Bells of Rutland, Thomas North, 1880, the condition of the bells at that stage was appalling and they could not be rung, so the refurbishment was well needed.

The church is Listed Grade I. Comprehensive details are available in the Victoria County History for Rutland LinkExternal link


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Alan Murray-Rust and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Construction, Development Building Material: Limestone other tags: Bench Mark Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
This photo is linked from: Automatic Clusters: · St Mary's Church [44] · Bench Mark [6] Other Photos: · Church of St Mary, Greetham ·
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Grid Square
SK9214, 210 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Alan Murray-Rust   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Tuesday, 19 January, 2016   (more nearby)
Submitted
Sunday, 24 January, 2016
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SK 9245 1464 [10m precision]
WGS84: 52:43.2913N 0:37.9592W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SK 9245 1464
View Direction
North-northeast (about 22 degrees)
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Image classification(about): Supplemental image
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