The Greenwich Meridian

Currently viewing images from 25 Apr 2017

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The text on the information panel is not only dubious in parts, but comes from a dated source. The six pips ceased to be transmitted from Greenwich in November 1940 and from any location connected with the Observatory in 1990. The sign that purports to mark the Meridian stands around 30 m to its east, and should have been located in the nearby open fields. A possible explanation for the error can be found in the 22 September 2000 edition of the Travel Mail, which reports that Charles Roper (of the Millennium Tree Line project) visited the site and told the owner, that his wellingtonia tree to the north which had been planted on the Meridian in 1984, was in fact about 50 yards from where it should be. Google Earth, and an independent GPS reading taken in March 2005 indicate that this is not the case and that it is probably just a few yards to the west or where it should be. If Roper advised Butler on where to put this later set of marks, it’s probably not surprising that they are so far off the Line!