Centre of the British Isles?

Subject: Centre of the British Isles?
From: greg stephens
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 05:04 AM

Where is the centre of the British Isles? (I use the term to include Ireland, for geographical purposes, I jnow some people dont like the political implications, but there really doesnt seem to be an alternative). I'm not sure how you would define it....I suppose it would be the centre of gravity of the shapes on the map. Bit difficut to do, to cut out all the islands out of cardboard, join them up with weightless struts(this is the difficult bit) and then balance it to find the middle. But someone must have worked this out with a computer. It seems to me it should be culturally,politically and geographically interesting toknow.
   Especially with political devolution, and th growth of regionalism, a fringe place like Cumbria(remote from London, I mean) might now resume its rightful place as the centre of the area. OK, this is my local patriotism coming out, I like Cumbrian music and history. I would kind of like Black Combe to be the centre of the universe. But does anybody know where we could locate this mythical centre? It would rather depend on what you included, I suppose. yes to St Kilda and Shetland, no to Channel Islands, I would say. Anybody know the facts? Or care to make a guess?

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 05:12 AM

Ahhh. Stumbled across this recently: the OS knows all

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 05:22 AM

Just looking at a map on Autoroute and drawing a square around the main lands (I've not included extremes like shetland or channel Isle), my first observation suggested Preston. On drawing a rectangle and asking Pip, for a second opinion, I'm inclined to agree with her thoughts - Douglas IOM.

I didn't know Cumbria was ever a centre! Norwich, nearest city to me is reputed to have once been the second (to London) most important city in England. A lot to do with the woolen trade. Some of my ancestory can be traced that way on my fathers side of the family. It appears we were Flemish weavers who were granted the freedom of the city (hence my surname).

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 05:23 AM

Beverley of course!
                   The true path!

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 05:26 AM

Interesting Fibula Mattock. The OS is bound to know more than our home thoughts and I would trust them to be right. Still it doesn't look that way on our map!

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 05:31 AM

That OS site doesn't work on my machine!
i clicked everything, but nothing happens!

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST,jo
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 05:38 AM

you can test this by cutting out a map of britain, getting a pin with a piece of string and a weight on the end, and lightly pin the map to the wall, let it hang as it naturally wants to, and draw a line where the string is. do this several times and they will form a cross at the centre...
course, this doesnt help deal with anything other than the mainland.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: greg stephens
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 05:53 AM

What does the OS say? Like Sir JOhn, I cant access it, I clicked but nothing happened.
   I would personally be quite relaxed about it being in the Isle of Man(or the Irish Sea, which is perfectly posssible), but I would really prefer Cumbria, and ideally the Miner's Arms in Silecroft under Black Combe: or failing that, the Newfield Inn in Seathwaite(Duddon Valley).
The pinning the map up technique is fine, but as whover it was said, only for the mainland. We are dealing with a lot of islands here, so it gets more complicated.
   Actually, I wouldnt mind lancaster, I lived there for 20 years and have researched lancashire music just as much as Cumbrian.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 05:59 AM

Greg-Whereabouts in Lancaster did you live?
I lived on Daisy Bank, [right near the Moor Hospital]
it was number2 daisy bank right at top of the hill.

And I also lived on Vine Street, off Greaves Road.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 06:00 AM

Here you go Greg.

GeoFacts: centre of the country
The centre of Great Britain and other areas.
Centre of Great Britain - Mainland only 5.5 km SW of Clitheroe. Between Whalley, Billington and Calderstones Hospital. Grid Reference: SD 72321.72 36671.1.

Great Britain Mainland plus the 7 major islands of Isle of Wight, Anglesey, Arran, Mull, Jura, Islay and Skye. The Eastern Edge of Longridge Fell, 1.5 km south east of Walker Fold and 1km north west of Turner Fold. Grid Reference: SD 68123.7 41406.29.

Centre of England (mainland only) Lindley Hall Farm, 1.5 km east of Fenny Drayton and 5 km north of Nuneaton. Grid Reference: SP 36382.2, 96810.73.

England (including all surrounding islands) Between Lindley Hall farm and Lindley Grange 1.5 km east of Fenny Drayton and 5 km north of Nuneaton. Grid Reference: SP 36373.66 96143.05

England and Wales Hurst Green Farm, 2 km west of Curdworth south east of Sutton Coldfield. Grid Reference: SP 15627.33 92949.96.

Wales (mainland only) 3.5km north west of Claerwen Reservoir, next to Afon Claerddu. Grid Reference: SN 81162.99, 67795.6

Wales (including all surrounding islands) 7.5 km north west of Claerwen Reservoir and 2.5 km south of Cwmystwyth. Grid Reference: SN 79728.22 , 71704.43.

Scotland (mainland only) 0.5 km west of White Bridge on the B846 (General Wade's military road)and 5.5 km south of Tummel Bridge. Grid Reference: NN 76731.26, 53751.42

Scotland (including all surrounding islands) 3 km east of the northern tip of Loch Garry. Grid Reference: NN66784.93, 71599.4.

Great Britain (including 401 islands) 7 km north west of Dunsop Bridge on Whitendale Hanging Stones Grid Reference: SD 64188.3, 56541.43. Centre of London 300m east of Waterloo Station. Grid Reference TQ31330.87 79647.52.

Northern Ireland (including all surrounding islands) Grid reference: 97004.44 533740.17

Northern Ireland (mainland only) Grid Reference: 96962.33 533666.07

Source: Strategi for Country Calculations and Boundary Line 1999 (Districts) for London.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Wolfgang
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 06:01 AM

Here's what OS prints:

The centre of Great Britain and other areas.
Centre of Great Britain - Mainland only 5.5 km SW of Clitheroe. Between Whalley, Billington and Calderstones Hospital. Grid Reference: SD 72321.72 36671.1.

Great Britain Mainland plus the 7 major islands of Isle of Wight, Anglesey, Arran, Mull, Jura, Islay and Skye. The Eastern Edge of Longridge Fell, 1.5 km south east of Walker Fold and 1km north west of Turner Fold. Grid Reference: SD 68123.7 41406.29.

Centre of England (mainland only) Lindley Hall Farm, 1.5 km east of Fenny Drayton and 5 km north of Nuneaton. Grid Reference: SP 36382.2, 96810.73.

England (including all surrounding islands) Between Lindley Hall farm and Lindley Grange 1.5 km east of Fenny Drayton and 5 km north of Nuneaton. Grid Reference: SP 36373.66 96143.05

England and Wales Hurst Green Farm, 2 km west of Curdworth south east of Sutton Coldfield. Grid Reference: SP 15627.33 92949.96.

Wales (mainland only) 3.5km north west of Claerwen Reservoir, next to Afon Claerddu. Grid Reference: SN 81162.99, 67795.6

Wales (including all surrounding islands) 7.5 km north west of Claerwen Reservoir and 2.5 km south of Cwmystwyth. Grid Reference: SN 79728.22 , 71704.43.

Scotland (mainland only) 0.5 km west of White Bridge on the B846 (General Wade's military road)and 5.5 km south of Tummel Bridge. Grid Reference: NN 76731.26, 53751.42

Scotland (including all surrounding islands) 3 km east of the northern tip of Loch Garry. Grid Reference: NN66784.93, 71599.4.

Great Britain (including 401 islands) 7 km north west of Dunsop Bridge on Whitendale Hanging Stones Grid Reference: SD 64188.3, 56541.43. Centre of London 300m east of Waterloo Station. Grid Reference TQ31330.87 79647.52.

Northern Ireland (including all surrounding islands) Grid reference: 97004.44 533740.17

Northern Ireland (mainland only) Grid Reference: 96962.33 533666.07 (end of quote)

Many interesting answers to other questions but not to the one Greg has asked.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Wolfgang
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 06:03 AM

Well, I'm used by now that I repeat my own posts without wanting, now I start repeating others' posts (grin)

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Sttaw Legend
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 06:03 AM

The centre of Great Britain and other areas.

Centre of Great Britain - Mainland only 5.5 km SW of Clitheroe. Between Whalley, Billington and Calderstones Hospital. Grid Reference: SD 72321.72 36671.1.

Great Britain Mainland plus the 7 major islands of Isle of Wight, Anglesey, Arran, Mull, Jura, Islay and Skye. The Eastern Edge of Longridge Fell, 1.5 km south east of Walker Fold and 1km north west of Turner Fold. Grid Reference: SD 68123.7 41406.29.

Centre of England (mainland only) Lindley Hall Farm, 1.5 km east of Fenny Drayton and 5 km north of Nuneaton. Grid Reference: SP 36382.2, 96810.73.

England (including all surrounding islands) Between Lindley Hall farm and Lindley Grange 1.5 km east of Fenny Drayton and 5 km north of Nuneaton. Grid Reference: SP 36373.66 96143.05

England and Wales Hurst Green Farm, 2 km west of Curdworth south east of Sutton Coldfield. Grid Reference: SP 15627.33 92949.96.

Wales (mainland only) 3.5km north west of Claerwen Reservoir, next to Afon Claerddu. Grid Reference: SN 81162.99, 67795.6

Wales (including all surrounding islands) 7.5 km north west of Claerwen Reservoir and 2.5 km south of Cwmystwyth. Grid Reference: SN 79728.22 , 71704.43.

Scotland (mainland only) 0.5 km west of White Bridge on the B846 (General Wade's military road)and 5.5 km south of Tummel Bridge. Grid Reference: NN 76731.26, 53751.42

Scotland (including all surrounding islands) 3 km east of the northern tip of Loch Garry. Grid Reference: NN66784.93, 71599.4.

Great Britain (including 401 islands) 7 km north west of Dunsop Bridge on Whitendale Hanging Stones Grid Reference: SD 64188.3, 56541.43. Centre of London 300m east of Waterloo Station. Grid Reference TQ31330.87 79647.52.

Northern Ireland (including all surrounding islands) Grid reference: 97004.44 533740.17

Northern Ireland (mainland only) Grid Reference: 96962.33 533666.07

Source: Strategi for Country Calculations and Boundary Line 1999 (Districts) for London.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 06:05 AM

I knew Lancashire was the centre of the universe:-)

Miners is a grand pub btw, Greg. Good food as well. I like the one on the main road near the level crossing as well but can't remember what it is called...

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: greg stephens
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 06:11 AM

All these multiple posts refer only to Great Britian as far as I can see. I want the whole British Isles as a unit, including Ireland.
Dave the Gnome:the other pubs near the Miners in Silecroft oare the John Bull(main road going north, has been closed for a few years no). Main road going towards Millom,in Kirksanton, near level crossing, the King William III(King Billy) still going strong as ever.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: greg stephens
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 06:15 AM

JOhn from Hull: I used to live in Hubert Place,Lancaster(by Giant Axe football ground), then Lindow Square, then out to Galgate 2m south of Lancaster, then in Claughton for 15 years(6 miles out of town up Lunesdale).

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 06:17 AM

Oh.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 06:19 AM

I'd not picked that up Greg. Other's may proove us wrong, but I think if you drew a rectangle around the mainlands of England, Ireland (north and republic), Scotland and Wales. You would end up with a similar to conclusion to ours. It could be Irish sea but IOM looks to me to be the nearest land.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 06:24 AM

Why do they make websites that don't work with internet tv?
it pisses me off!
The goverment seem to be the worst for it,
I looked at the 1901 census site, to see if my family was listed on it etc, but that doesn't work on internet tv either!

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: greg stephens
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 06:33 AM

GUEST Jon. Your guess is the closest to mine. I was sort of looking at the map and guessing somewhere off the Cumbrian coast towards the Isle of Man. But surely someone somewhere has worked this out.Isnt it on the OS site? They mention Ireland in the lists that I cant click on.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 06:37 AM

John, web design and whys would be a thread (or more) in it's own right! In brief, personally I dislike WebTV and while I try to be compatible for info, I don't care that you can't get folkinfo chat for example. WebTV doesn't support Java as Mr Gates doesn't control Java... If you can't afford both tv and computer, do yourself a favour and go the other way. Fit a TV card in the computer. Prices start around £40. I gave one away (and mentioned I had one to give away in a thread here) only yesterday.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 06:41 AM

Greg, that looks to me to be the only link that was likely to get a result you are looking for. If you see another that looks better and can't open it, just post here. I'll report back.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 08:07 AM

I live ~30 miles from the geographic center of Kentucky. (if anyone's interested ;-))

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 08:47 AM

King Billy - That's it! Thanks Greg. It was the most welcome pub I had come across in ages when I had walked along the beach from Haverigg to Silecroft and then up Black Coombe and back along the road. The front door was locked but I looked through a window and caught the barmans eye - He unlocked the door and served me:-)

On including Ireland. Looking at the small scale maps I have the centre seems to be the Isle of Man or, if you look at the islands up in the far north it seems to be more like somewhere east of Stranraer.

Of course if you include ALL the British Isles you would probably find it to be somewhere much higher in Scotland. How could you all forget the Island of Rockall (located 57° N, 13° W)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST,Bruce Baillie
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 09:25 AM

...cleckheaton, it's gotta be, you KNOW it makes sense!!!

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: greg stephens
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 09:32 AM

Rockall is too tiny to make much impression on the position of the centre of gravity. But the Shetland and Orkney Isles would provide a bit of leverage to move it north, the are big and far away(like Father Ted's cows).

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Snuffy
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 09:47 AM

Are we talking centre of gravity or just the rectangle to enclose everything? Rockall would make a difference to that. (And some of France would be in the box too)

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: greg stephens
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 10:44 AM

Snuffy, I think the only realistic thing is to go for the centre of gravity of the land masses taken together, assuming they are of equal thickness. That is how they do the "centre of England type calculation". Anything else would give far to much weight to Rockall and Muckle Flugga and bits of empty sea or whatever. I think it reasonable to reject the Channel Islands, as that is a bit of a historical anomaly, they are geographically French. But is beyond my feeble brain to work out how to stick the bits of cardboard together for the experiment, you need weightless rods and there aint no such animal.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 12:14 PM

Are we including the Falklands in our british owned islands??? Could drop the coordinates to somewhere i the middle of the Atlantic! ;@)
Quack!!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: M.Ted
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 01:13 PM

The logical thing to do is to simply take a map and plant the point firmly on your residence, then circumscribe it in such a way that the radius includes all that you favor as a part of the British Isles.

This will give you what you want, and, if you describe your circle properly, it will allow others to replicate and verify your work.


This idea is loosely drawn from a book I once read called, "How to LIe with Maps"--

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 01:24 PM

I vote for the Isle of Man, and suggest that all you Brits be compelled to study the world's deadest language, Manx Gaelic, all though school.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: vectis
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 06:13 PM

The centre of the Mainland must be the bit furthest from the sea which puts it around the Thrapston area.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 06:35 PM

I stayed in a very nice hotel Called The Center of Briton Hotel . I think it was Haltwistle near Bardon Mill . (On the road from Newcastle to Carlyle) . All the best , Guy

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Bert
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 10:20 PM

Where it is geographically doesn't really matter. Unless of course you live out in the sticks somewhere and want to feel important.

"Wow! that bit of dirt fourteen furlongs south of Bill's pigsty is the center of the universe." *Fiendish grin*

It's where it is REALLY that counts and of course it is LONDON and more specifically for folkies it would be Cecil Sharpe House.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST,bumpkin
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 07:23 AM

Hi, I live on Lindley Hall Farm and I can tell you for a fact there is no sign post confirming it's near the centre of England.
Not only that but my satnav shows 'Unnamed road' when I come home....

Can't be that important then can it?....


ref
England (including all surrounding islands) Between Lindley Hall farm and Lindley Grange 1.5 km east of Fenny Drayton and 5 km north of Nuneaton. Grid Reference: SP 36373.66 96143.05

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: sian, west wales
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 07:45 AM

The Wales + Islands is only 2.5 kms out. Folk-speaking, Cwmystwyth IS the centre of the universe because Phyllis Kinney and Meredydd Evans live there and what they don't know about Welsh folk music isn't worth knowing. (I exaggerate of course, but not by a lot.)

In general, one wonders if they've banged the areas in question out flat or not. Might make a difference ...

sian

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 07:46 AM

Isle of Man is the only place from where it's possible to see all the other countries.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 07:53 AM

Well, a few calculations, and a bit of by-eye estimations puts the centre of the British Isles ( i.e. including all of Ireland, but not Rockall, the Channel islands or anything further out than Shetland ) somewhwere about Snowdonia or Anglesey.

Although for most people, the centre of the universe is inside their own head, so presumably the centre of the British isles is as well.

This is a really pointless discussion, isn't it?

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Mr Red
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 08:04 AM

Well as a born and bred Wodensburgian I can say without fear, favour or prejudice that the dead centre of civilisation is Wednesbury




the very dead centre.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Scrump
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 08:39 AM

If you work out the centre of Great Britain (which I think someone has already done above), and the centre of Ireland, then draw a line between them and mark a point on the line in proportion to the area of each of the two components, you should end up with the centre of the whole lot (shouldn't you?)

e.g. if country A is exactly twice the are of country B, the centre would be 2/3 along the line from the centre of B to the centre of A

Or is that total b*ll*cks?

... getting me coat ready just in case.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 09:07 AM

Everybody knows Yorkshire is the centre of everything

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 09:35 PM

What has this to do with music?

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 10:01 PM

Nothing whatever.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Crane Driver
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 04:03 PM

I think Greg above picked up the real problem, in an aside - "assuming they're all of equal thickness". Of course they're not, the North and West, where the mountains are, are obviously heavier per square mile than the South and East, which must shift the centre nor'west by quite a bit. Cumbria is looking good again, or quite possibly the Isle of Man.

Andrew

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Snuffy
Date: 15 Oct 06 - 07:20 PM

No, the mountains stcik up because they are lighter (being hollow). It's the flat bits that have to carry all that heavy soil

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 15 Oct 06 - 07:39 PM

No need for a coat scrump, that's right.
To be worth doing though, you would need to put some effort into finding the centre of the Republic of Ireland with reasonable precision, and I'm feeling lazy.

The actual difference in weight between different parts of the British Isles maxes out at about 50 milligals, ie about one two-thousands (1/2000) of the standard field strength you're feeling right now. It's not quite weight, but it's close enogh unless you are actually taking this seriously. So, we can use the OS centre.

BTW, it really is the moutains that are lighter!

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Oct 06 - 08:06 PM

Just reminded of the well-worn joke about the Shetland Isles: most maps of the British Isles show them in a wee box up in the top right-hand corner of the map, having cut out a good few nautical miles in between them and the Orkneys and mainland Scotland. In Shetland their maps of the islands fill the page with the rest of the British Isles in a "peerie" box in the bottom left corner!

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST,I've lost me cookie
Date: 15 Oct 06 - 09:46 PM

The cultural and musical centre of the UK is Manchester!
Always has been.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Rowan
Date: 15 Oct 06 - 10:21 PM

The ethnocentricity implicit in such a geocentric discussion reminds me of the old saw (non-musical) about the two ancient characters sitting outside a pub in some out of the way flyspeck on the map. Dirranbandy, for example.

One says to the other, "Do you know that Dirranbandy is the most important in the world?"
"You're having me on! What makes you say that?" says his mate.
"Well," says the first, "the line that joins the North Pole to the South Pole goes right through the centre of our pub?"

Probably worth putting into song. You could even get the maths involved into a verse or two. Some years ago there was exactly the same conversation about the geocentre of Australia; Chamber's Pillar seemed a favourite. But I'm sure they forgot Heard Island, and you win lots of bets about the location of the tallest Australian mountain. [Big Ben, on Heard Island, rather than Koszciusko.]

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Mick Tems
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 01:00 AM

To Sian, West Wales: I've been to Cwmystwyth to interview Mered and Phyllis - a very friendly, genuine couple who will go out of their way to to make you welcome. Their fount of music and folk knowledge is inestimable. The leading Welsh company Sain put together a double-CD of Mered's work, including recordings which go back to 1962 and his eponymous 1970s album Mered. He combined his love of folk singing with his job of Head of BBC Light Entertainments (the now-retired Mered had been a professor at Princeton University, where the New York Times had his Folkways LP in the Top Ten.) To me, Cwmystwyth is at the centre of Great Britain.

Or could it be Ynys Mon, the lovely island of Anglesey, home to a countless line of triple-harpers, including Llio Rhydderch?

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: maldenny
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 04:10 AM

I'm only half awake - first thing Monday morning! I'm trying to visualise cutting out all the bits of the British Isles on thick card, then sticking them in their correct relative positions on a circle of card, then doing the dangly line drawing thing to find the centre. Does that get over Greg's problem of weightless struts? I'm sure someone will soon shoot me down in flames, but I can take it - my penalty for being too idle to really do the experiment!

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Mr Red
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 04:53 AM

the Scent Her of the British Isles must be Norfampton - where the Avon Lady comes from. Does that ring a bell?

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Hand-Pulled Boy
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 05:36 AM

Talking about mountains shouldn't we be looking for the volumetric centre of the British Isles? ie., somewhere above sea level? This would be in an entirely different location to the OS calculation and would be a really boring thing for someone to do especially as East Yorkshire is falling into the sea placing Humbleton at risk along with Ted and Penny who are really nice people by the way.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 05:42 AM

Why don't we do it by concentration of wealth? That should put it somewhere near London!

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Mr Red
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 05:46 AM

IQ? - Londoncentric again. (because migration follows the money)

Arrogance Quotient? - Same again

Worth Quotient? - here I think we have the basis for a long and Shambling discussion that will solve nothing but may or may not be of worth in itself.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST,Pete
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 06:01 AM

When I lived in Portsmouth (UK), it was generally accepted that the dead centre of Portsea Island was Kingston Cemetary.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 07:39 AM

We are a load of utter numpties! The centre of Great Britian from the OS includes Ireland!

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST,Stuart
Date: 23 Oct 06 - 03:52 PM

Well done to Sttaw Legend, who correctly lists the centre of Great Britain as being near Dunsop bridge.

With the RTR (Right to Roam) act in place, you are free to wander to the centre of the UK and find the official flag that marks the very spot!

Get a GPS and see for yourselves....

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST,nikki
Date: 23 Oct 06 - 06:33 PM

Festival at the centre of Britain


Huddersfield to Blackpool -70 miles
Huddersfield to Hull      -73 miles

Huddersfield to London    -190 miles
Huddersfield to Edinburgh -240 miles
Huddersfield to Cardiff   -220 miles

Shepley Spring Festival

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Scrump
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 07:34 AM

Returning to the calculation of the centre, I would have thought that the issue of thickness (mountains etc.) raised above would be a red herring. The centre is based on area not weight. So if you had a cutout of (say) Ireland from equally thick board and found its centre of gravity, that would give you the centre. If you had a 3D model of the "mainland" (i.e. England/Wales/Scotland) and used that to calculate the centre, it would probably be further north than the true centre (assuming most high mountains are in the north rather than the south). Or am I wrong?

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: GUEST,Darowyn
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 07:50 AM

Wherever it is it's moving north and west.
Apparently the North is still recovering from the last ice age when the geology was compressed by the weight of ice. Scotland and the North are rising as it slowly rebounds. Consequently the South is sinking (stop cheering at the back there, you North Britons).
East Coast erosion and the drowning of the South (Stop it! You're laughing now!) will mean that the centre is moving North and West.
So if it's not where you wanted it to be, it might be passing your place in a millennium or so.
Cheers
Dave

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Hand-Pulled Boy
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 08:35 AM

Changing sea levels including high and low tides each day will mean a changing average throughout time. It certainly would not be a straight line graph. If we were to extrapolate back in time to when we were connected to Europe then the theoretical centre may have been in Berlin and all the trouble that caused!

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: muppett
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 11:26 AM

Nay it's ILKLA MOOR

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: The Sandman
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 12:31 PM

nottingham.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Pistachio
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 01:56 PM

Berlin! H-P-B, thanks for the mention - it is the centre for my happy memories - but not the correct answer.

Greg, I'm not really worried about where the 'centre' is. My husband always said that Coventry and Meriden were furthest from the seas around us, and having been to the east Coast just 3 weeks ago I can vouch for the coastal erosion, the road sign warning of the problem is currently 3 feet below the original level of the road...
Be happy to be in the middle of wherever, your universe, the dartboard or whatever place you have in mind.
Hope to see you in the centre of Beverley some Sunday soon - if you can tear yourself away from middlesearch!
H.

Subject: RE: Centre of the British Isles?
From: Darowyn
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 02:50 PM

"Beverley on Sea" soon maybe?
Cheers
Dave