Benchmark
These photos should help you to pinpoint where, on the outside of the church building, you need to look to find this bench mark.
Location: It is on the north west angle of the tower, on the west wall between the window and the door leading in to the tower.
Name: An Ordnance Survey Bench Mark
When: Between 07/08/1851 and 27/08/1857.
Ordnance Survey Bench Mark on our church
When the Ordnance Survey began to make their first maps of Britain, they used a method called 'triangulation' based on simple geometry. This allowed them to fix the height above sea-level for a number of locations. At each of these places a bench mark was cut as a record of the exact spot for future reference.
One of the key lines of survey in the 'First primary levelling, England & Wales' went from Swineshead - Boston - Wainfleet - Sutton - Grainthorpe - Great Grimsby - Barton-upon-Humber - Adlingfleet - Rawcliffe. There were several branches [side levels] off this main line. The Winterton church benchmark was one of these.
The surveyor's record stated: Winterton Church. Mark on North-west angle of tower ; 2.74 ft. above surface.
The bench mark was levelled with a height of 92.7590 feet [28.2729 metres] above mean sea level (Liverpool datum).
Other bench marks were placed in Earlsgate and Roxby Road in Winterton and at Coleby and West Halton.
Bench marks are recorded on websites such as Bench Mark Database and Ordnance Survey's Levelling of Great Britain.
If you look at Winterton Church you will find a log entry which gives the details about the benchmark on our church:
Logged on 29th June 2008. Condition: Slightly damaged. Cut mark and bolt severely weathered. When you walk in the main church gate follow the tower wall to the far end.