The Greenwich Meridian

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Sunk Island, started life as a sandbar that began to form in the River Humber in 1560. By 1660 it was big enough to be flooded only at high tide. During the 19th century the ‘Island’ was drained for farming. Between 1983 and 1985, the embankment fronting the Humber (Welwick Bank) was raised to a height of 3.3 m above mean high water. In late 1984, Lewis & Duvivier, consulting engineers for the project, began making enquiries as to exactly where the Meridian and embankment would intersect so that the Meridian’s position could be marked. Mr Downer, the Regional Manager of the Ordnance Survey, offered to site the marker. It was placed in position in 1985. Its position was subsequently marked on both the Ordnance Survey landranger (1:25,000) and explorer (1:50,000) maps.

In 2006, Welwick Bank was realigned in order to create a new 54 hectare intertidal habitat for wildlife. The first tides breached the old defences on 27 June. The work was carried out by Associated British Ports as compensatory habitat creation for habitats lost to new developments at the ports of Hull and Immingham. The obelisk, complete with original stainless steel plaques was repositioned and realigned on the new embankment. It now stands about 130 metres to the north of its original position.