NUMBER 886

BENCHMARKS continued

This one is on the R730 on the west side of Carrigmannon Bridge over the River Ballyvoleen in County Wexford.

Below: The 'mark on Carrigmannon Bridge in County Wexford. 

 

 Above: Looking south on the R730 on Carrigmannon Bridge and with the 'mark at right.

 

NUMBER 885

BENCHMARKS continued

Under Railway Bridge No 400 in the townland of Cornwall in County Wexford is this one.

Below: The 'mark on UBR400 at Cornwall in County Wexford.

 

Above: Underneath Bridge No 400 - looking east across the bridge across the wide majestic River Slaney - and with the 'mark on the wall at bottom right.

NUMBER 884

BENCHMARKS continued

Under Railway Bridge No 292 in the townland of Cain in County Wexford is this one.

Below: The 'mark on UBR292 at Cain in County Wexford.

 

Above: Underneath Bridge No 292, looking south east, and with on the wall at right.

NUMBER 883

BENCHMARKS continued

Between Moneycross Upper and Moneycross Lower and on the north wall of OBR289 on a bye-road off the R772 in County Wexford is this one.

Below: A 'mark on OBR289 near Moneycross Lower in County Wexford.

 

Above: Looking east on Bridge No 289 and with the 'mark at bottom left on the wall.

NUMBER 882

BENCHMARKS continued

On a bye-road off the R772 and underneath Railway Bridge No 276 at the townland of Parkbaun in County Wexford is this one.

Below: A 'mark on UBR276 at Parkbaun in County Wexford.

 

Above: Looking north west underneath Bridge No 276 and with the 'mark at near bottom right.

NUMBER 881

BENCHMARKS continued

This one is not where it's supposed to be, according to the map, but rather a little further along on a perimeter wall of the Church of Ireland church in Inch in County Wexford.

Below: A 'mark on the perimeter wall at Inch Church in County Wexford.

 

 Above: A view of the church and perimeter wall with the 'mark at bottom left on the wall. (P.S. M.C. kept Benchmarker entertained with a gag about the two closest towns in Ireland. The punchline being 'there is only an inch between them'. It's the way he tells 'em!)

NUMBER 880

BENCHMARKS continued

Although subjected to persistent harangues that included threats of legal action, and exposed to the dangers of fast motorised traffic, while all the time trying to navigate through an almost impenetrable undergrowth, nevertheless M.C. and Benchmarker stuck to their mission and eventually uncovered this one on UBR269 on the R772 just a little north of Inch Station in County Wexford.

Below: A 'mark on Railway Bridge UBR269 in County Wexford.

 

Above: Looking west on the R772 at UBR269 with M.C. indicating where the 'mark is located.

NUMBER 879

BENCHMARKS continued

This one is on a bye-road on the north east wall of OBR263 in the townland of Scarnagh Upper in County Wicklow.

Below: A 'mark on Railway Bridge OBR263 in County Wicklow.

 

Above: Looking south east on OBR263 with the 'mark, almost swallowed up by the earth, at bottom left. (P.S. Just in case there is any doubt, M.C. is not doing what he appears to be doing!)

NUMBER 878

BENCHMARKS continued

Old bridges are good places to look for 'marks; and railway bridges are perhaps best of all. In his extensive hunt down through the south-east in 2012, M.C. struck it rich, particularly on the bridges along the Dublin/Rosslare Line. However, he knew he had missed out on a good few too. And so on a late June Sunday in Anno Domini 2015, and partnered with Benchmarker, the quest to bring closure was on.

The first one into the net is on a railway bridge on a bye-road off the R752, about halfway between Rathdrum and Glenealy, in the townland of Bahana in County Wicklow.

Below: A 'mark on Railway Bridge UBR174 in County Wicklow.

 

Above: Looking south east under Bridge UBR174 towards the R752 with the 'mark, almost swallowed up by the earth, at bottom right.

NUMBER 877

BENCHMARKS continued

Not on the map, but fairly easy to spot, somehow M.C. and Benchmarker missed this one on a trawl of Drogheda, County Louth, a couple of years or so ago. It's on Duke Street at its junction with Fair Street.

Below: A 'mark on Duke Street in Drogheda, County Louth.

 

 Above: On Duke Street and looking north and with the 'mark at bottom right, while in the background some participants in the Drogheda and District Athletic Club's Midsummer 5K wend their weary way towards the finish line.

NUMBER 876

BENCHMARKS continued

This one is on a gate pillar at the Convent of Mercy on Main Street in Carrick-on-Suir in County Tipperary.

Below: A 'mark on Main Street in Carrick-on-Suir.

 

 Above: On Main Street in Carrick-on-Suir and looking east and with the 'mark at bottom right.

NUMBER 875

BENCHMARKS continued

A 'mark on a bridge over the Clodiagh River in the townland of Graigavalla in County Tipperary.

Below: A 'mark on a bridge in Graigavalla in County Tipperary.

 

Above: Looking south on the bridge in Graigavalla with the President looking approvingly at the 'mark thereon, at bottom right.

NUMBER 874

BENCHMARKS continued

This one is on the eastern wall of a bridge over a tributary of the Clodiagh River in the townland of Ballycullane in County Tipperary.

Below: A 'mark on a bridge in Ballycullane in County Tipperary.

 

 Above: Looking south west on the bridge in Ballycullane with the 'mark at left about halfway up the wall.

NUMBER 873

BENCHMARKS continued

Optimism triumphed over experience again recently when M.C. suggested that it might be a rather jolly jape if a few of us got together to visit a former colleague now domiciled up in the foothills of the Comeragh Mountains. There were four in the car for the journey; to wit, M.C. at the wheel, yours truly, Stamp Tony Byrne and the President (No, not that one, not Michael Dee. But it's a bit long to explain.) The vehicle had barely wheeled onto the Naas Road when M.C. announced that as well as appraising the décor of one or two of the public houses of County Tipperary, some time would be set aside for benchmark hunting. This drew from one of the passengers the response “Shur benchmarks are nothing more than chisel scratches on auld stones!” (The author of this remark of such outrageous sociopathic disassociation will remain anonymous - but let's just say it wasn't Tony.) The result was that the rest of the afternoon, evening and night, passed in a state of ill concealed fractious tension. Nevertheless a number of chisel scratches on auld stones were recorded with the first of them on O'Connell Street in Clonmel in County Tipperary.

Below: A 'mark on the south side of O'Connell at it's junction with Bridge Street in Clonmel, County Tipperary.
 

 Above: Looking west on O'Connell Street with the 'mark at bottom left behind the utility box.

NUMBER 872

BENCHMARKS continued

This one is from Ross who writes “ It is located high in the Mourne Mountains on the Slievenaman Road near Spelga Dam and, in fact, is the only mark (apart from those on Triangulation Pillars) I can find in N.Ireland above 400m in height.”

Ross blogs on all things to do with benchmarking at:- http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=56109555&displayclass=black

Below: A 'mark on the Slievenaman Road near Spelga Dam in the Mourne Mountains.

 

 Above: A view along the Slievenaman Road with the low wall on which the 'mark is located, at left.

NUMBER 871

BENCHMARKS continued

Michael Byrne's “final one from this Edinburgh trip, perhaps somewhat fitting it graces the facade of a building, currently housing in part Finnegan's Irish Pub on Victoria Street. As it was closed, the only thing served up was the Benchmark, which was accepted with relish.”

Below: A 'mark on Finnegan's Irish Pub on Victoria Street, Edinburgh, Scotland.

 

Above: Facade view of Finnegan's Irish Pub, without a street view as it had to be snapped through a railings. The 'mark is at bottom left, between the downpipe and the building's corner.

NUMBER 870

BENCHMARKS continued

While in Edinburgh, Michael Byrne spotted (in passing) this one on the facade of Frankenstein, a well known watering hole and eatery on George IV Bridge.

Below: A 'mark on Frankenstein, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, Scotland.

 

Above: A view of the hostelry know as Frankenstein with the 'mark to be seen between the downpipe and the ashtray pillar at bottom left.

 

NUMBER 869

BENCHMARKS continued

Michael Byrne gives a stern warning about this one in Edinburgh “Be afraid....very afraid. This is the most haunted Benchmark in the whole of Scotland, having the misfortune of being cut into the wall of Greyfriars Kirk, Candlemakers Row, Edinburgh. The ghostly tales of the surrounding Kirkyard are legendary. Founded in 1561 "Because it is thought beneficial that there should be no more burials within the church (St.Giles), and because that kirkyard is not thought to have sufficient room for burying the dead, and taking into consideration the smell and inconvenience in the heat of Summer, it would be provided (by the council) that a burial place be made further from the middle of town, such as in Greyfriars yard, and the same built up and made secure".

Below: A 'mark on Greyfriars Kirk, Candlemakers Row, Edinburgh. 

 

 Above: Looking from the 'mark on the wall of Greyfriars Kirk towards the entrance gates. (That newish round top headstone in front of the little lodge marks the burial spot of Greyfriars Bobby - another story.)

 

NUMBER 868

BENCHMARKS continued

Another first for Michael Byrne in Edinburgh, a Rivet Benchmark, which he found on the west side of Dalhousie Terrace. It differs slightly from the Pivot style 'mark in that in has a rivet inserted, as the name suggests.

Below: A 'mark on Dalhousie Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland.

 

Above: Looking north along Dalhousie Terrace, Edinburgh, with the 'mark at centre left.

 

NUMBER 867

BENCHMARKS continued

Michael Byrne spotted another one further up Whitehouse Terrace, on a gate pillar which bears an address plaque "139 Woodlands".

Below: A 'mark on Whitehouse Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland.

 

Above: Looking east back along Whitehouse Terrace, Edinburgh. The 'mark is at bottom right.

NUMBER 866

BENCHMARKS continued

Continuing with Michael Byrne's trove of 'marks from Edinburgh, this one is on a pillar opposite the entrance gates to Astley Ainslie Hospital, on Whitehouse Terrace.

Below: A 'mark on Whitehouse Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland.

 

Above: Looking west on Whitehouse Terrace, Edinburgh. The 'mark is at bottom right.

NUMBER 865

BENCHMARKS continued

Tell me more! Michael Byrne's spotted this one in Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, on the face of the Stamp Office (the workings of which are apparently a mystery to all).

Below: A 'mark on the Stamp Office in Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, Scotland.

 

Above: Looking west along the face of the Stamp Office in Waterloo Place, towards Princes Street, Edinburgh, with the 'mark at left.

NUMBER 864

BENCHMARKS continued

Michael Byrne's spotted this one on leaving Calton Hill in Edinburgh. Michael writes “Leaving Calton Hill by these steps, I was rewarded when having one quick look back, with this final Pivot Benchmark from the hill. Judging by how much the stone steps have worn down over the years, the 'mark was destined to survive being tucked away at this step's edge, and thus avoiding the worst of the onslaught of continuous footfall.”

Below: A 'mark on the steps leading from Regent Street to Calton Hill, Edinburgh, Scotland.

 

Above: Looking east on the steps leading from Regent Street to Calton Hill. The 'mark is on the right hand edge of the first step. 

 

NUMBER 863

BENCHMARKS continued

Another one from Michael Byrne that is also on Calton Hill in Edinburgh.

Below: A 'mark on Calton Hill, Edinburgh, Scotland.

 

Above: On Calton Hill in Edinburgh and looking west towards the beginning of the section of pathway leading to the Douglas Stewart Monument, which can be seen in the centre background. The 'mark is on the face of the stone at bottom left.

NUMBER 862

BENCHMARKS continued

Michael Byrne points out that while the Flush Bracket Benchmark on the Triangulation Point pillar atop Calton Hill, is undoubtedly a 'mark, that the actual Trig Pillar itself can also be classed as a 'mark, because (as the photo shows) the surveyors fixed their equipment into the mechanics on top of the pillar.

Below: The 'mark atop of the Trig Point pillar atop Calton Hill, Edinburgh, Scotland.

 

 Above: On Calton Hill, Edinburgh. In the background can be seen the National Monument of Scotland (left) and Nelson's Monument (centre).