William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. Colour photograph of a sign explaining toilets at Old Sarum, English Heritage Siteordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086,, england

Colour photograph of the Silbury Hill, an immense Neolithic man-made mound part of the Avebury World Heritage Site. The Avebury World Heritage Site is a complex of outstanding prehistoric monuments comprising Windmill Hill (Early Neolithic enclosure and Bronze Age burial mounds); Silbury Hill; West Kennet Long Barrow; Avebury Stone Circles and West Kennet Avenue; The Sanctuary (site of stone and timber circles). It is part of National Trust and English Heritage. Visitors may walk to sites.avebury world heritage site, mound, prehistoric monuments, silbury hill, west kennet long barrow, neolithic, world heritage

Colour photograph of the Silbury Hill, an immense Neolithic man-made mound part of the Avebury World Heritage Site. The Avebury World Heritage Site is a complex of outstanding prehistoric monuments comprising Windmill Hill (Early Neolithic enclosure and Bronze Age burial mounds); Silbury Hill; West Kennet Long Barrow; Avebury Stone Circles and West Kennet Avenue; The Sanctuary (site of stone and timber circles). It is part of National Trust and English Heritage. Visitors may walk to sites.Colour photograph of rocks at Avebury World Heritage Site avebury world heritage site, prehistoric monuments, rocks

Colour photograph of the Silbury Hill, an immense Neolithic man-made mound part of the Avebury World Heritage Site. The Avebury World Heritage Site is a complex of outstanding prehistoric monuments comprising Windmill Hill (Early Neolithic enclosure and Bronze Age burial mounds); Silbury Hill; West Kennet Long Barrow; Avebury Stone Circles and West Kennet Avenue; The Sanctuary (site of stone and timber circles). It is part of National Trust and English Heritage. Visitors may walk to sites.Colour photograph of Avebury World Heritage Stte.avebury world heritage site, prehistoric monuments, rocks

Colour photograph of the Silbury Hill, an immense Neolithic man-made mound part of the Avebury World Heritage Site. The Avebury World Heritage Site is a complex of outstanding prehistoric monuments comprising Windmill Hill (Early Neolithic enclosure and Bronze Age burial mounds); Silbury Hill; West Kennet Long Barrow; Avebury Stone Circles and West Kennet Avenue; The Sanctuary (site of stone and timber circles). It is part of National Trust and English Heritage. Visitors may walk to sites.Colour photograph of Avebury World Heritage Site. avebury world heritage site, prehistoric monuments, rocks

Colour photograph of the Silbury Hill, an immense Neolithic man-made mound part of the Avebury World Heritage Site. The Avebury World Heritage Site is a complex of outstanding prehistoric monuments comprising Windmill Hill (Early Neolithic enclosure and Bronze Age burial mounds); Silbury Hill; West Kennet Long Barrow; Avebury Stone Circles and West Kennet Avenue; The Sanctuary (site of stone and timber circles). It is part of National Trust and English Heritage. Visitors may walk to sites.Colour photograph of Avebury World Heritage Site. avebury world heritage site, prehistoric monuments, rocks

Colour photograph of the Silbury Hill, an immense Neolithic man-made mound part of the Avebury World Heritage Site. The Avebury World Heritage Site is a complex of outstanding prehistoric monuments comprising Windmill Hill (Early Neolithic enclosure and Bronze Age burial mounds); Silbury Hill; West Kennet Long Barrow; Avebury Stone Circles and West Kennet Avenue; The Sanctuary (site of stone and timber circles). It is part of National Trust and English Heritage. Visitors may walk to sites.Colour photograph of Avebury World Heritage Site.avebury world heritage site, rocks, prehistoric monuments

Colour photograph of the Silbury Hill, an immense Neolithic man-made mound part of the Avebury World Heritage Site. The Avebury World Heritage Site is a complex of outstanding prehistoric monuments comprising Windmill Hill (Early Neolithic enclosure and Bronze Age burial mounds); Silbury Hill; West Kennet Long Barrow; Avebury Stone Circles and West Kennet Avenue; The Sanctuary (site of stone and timber circles). It is part of National Trust and English Heritage. Visitors may walk to sites.Colour photograph of the Avebury World Heritage Site.prehistoric monuments, avebury world heritage site, rocks

Colour photograph of the Silbury Hill, an immense Neolithic man-made mound part of the Avebury World Heritage Site. The Avebury World Heritage Site is a complex of outstanding prehistoric monuments comprising Windmill Hill (Early Neolithic enclosure and Bronze Age burial mounds); Silbury Hill; West Kennet Long Barrow; Avebury Stone Circles and West Kennet Avenue; The Sanctuary (site of stone and timber circles). It is part of National Trust and English Heritage. Visitors may walk to sites.Colour photograph of Avebury World Heritage Site. avebury world heritage site, prehistoric monuments, rocks

Good luck dolls usually given to engaged couples but occasionally give to Japanese soldiers prior to deploying.Takasago dolls or, in English, Darby and Joan dolls. They are a set, the brighter one being an old lady, the other an old man. They were used as engagement presents, but during the war, they were sometimes (actually maybe rarely) given to soldiers as good luck charms, or ‘mamori’. They were said to be lucky as they contained the stitching (sewing) of 1000 ladies, ‘senninbari’ (a thousand ‘peoples’ needles). So mate, the original theory is probably correct. The soldier would have wrapped these dolls in water proof paper (made using persimmon tannin or kakishiba).He would have kept them around his waist in a waist band, called an obi or perhaps a ‘haramaki’ (a knitted stomach band).Anyway the dollls should remain together. I’m wondering if there are any messages inside? But if they are completely stitched closed, then they should remain that way. The Takasago dolls originated in Takasago City in Hyogo Prefecture, hence the name.But later they were made everywherejapan, ww2, world war 2, world war two, takasago dolls

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england

William the Conqueror inherited Old Sarum from the last Saxon king of England. It was an ideal site for a royal castle. It was here in 1070 that William paid off his army after a long and bitter campaign in northern England. It was here in 1086 that he called together all the major landholders in England so they could swear allegiance to him. It was a crucial moment. The Domesday Book was being written, a threatened Viking invasion had only just been averted and William's eldest son was in armed rebellion. Old Sarum was an important place where this Norman king of England held power. In 1794 the Ordnance Survey set out to check the accuracy of the first mapping of Southern England, which had begun ten years earlier. From a point just below Old Sarum Lieutenant William Mudge laid out a base-line 36,574 feet (11,253 metres) long. From each end of the line the positions of distant places were plotted using a huge theodolite made in 1791 by Jesse Ramsden. The accuracy of the process, which was repeated all over England, depended on Jesse Ramsden's craftsmanship and on William Mudge's surveying skill in setting out this first base-line from Old Sarum. The nearer end of Mudge's line is marked by an inscribed stone beside the modern A345 at Old Sarum. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england