NUMBER 184

BENCHMARKS continued
 

Winston Churchill was a fellow who indulged in the odd good rant. On one occasion shortly after the Great War finished he had a right old go at the two traditions in the North bellowing

“Every institution, almost, in the world was strained. Great Empires have been overturned. The whole map of Europe has been changed. The position of countries has been violently altered. The modes of thought of men, the whole outlook on affairs, the grouping of parties, all have encountered violent and tremendous changes in the deluge of the world.

But as the deluge subsides and the waters fall short, we see the dreary steeples of Fermanagh and Tyrone emerging once again. The integrity of their quarrel is one of the few institutions that has been unaltered in the cataclysm which has swept the world.”
Actually Benchmarker finds some of the steeples there far from dreary but rather quite charming and attractive. For example this one on Saint Eugene's Ardstraw, Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone.

Below: The 'mark on the Church of Ireland, Newtownstewart.

Above: Saint Eugene's Ardstraw with the 'mark just to the left of the door at bottom.

NUMBER 183

BENCHMARKS continued
 

Sometimes Benchmarker hankers fondly for the old days when benchmarks were found by a combination of blood, sweat and tears allied to instinct and good luck. Not like now were there are all them computer application thingies that almost lead you by the nose to where 'marks are nesting. So it made a refreshing change to scout out a couple of possible locations without any artificial aids on a recent trip from Dublin to Donegal. The first involved a detour off the bypass into the little village of Newtownstewart, and straight off the bat Benchmarker hit gold, a type off benchmark not encountered before. Its made of metal - perhaps brass - and is set into the front wall of the Presbyterian Church. Apparently it is of a type that was introduced in Northern Ireland in more recent years.

Below: The 'mark on the Presbyterian Church, Newtownstewart. N.B. the figures refer to the number of the 'mark, and not to the altitude.

Above: The Presbyterian Church, Newtownstewart. The 'mark is on the bottom of the front left corner buttress.