Old Ballarat Pottery was set up by John Gilbert as part of the Old Ballarat Village, opposite Sovereign Hill. Gilbert had lectured at Ballarat College of Advanced Education before establishing the Edinburgh Pottery at Sovereign Hill in 1972 to enable visitors to see traditional trades at work. The Old Ballarat Pottery was a much larger concern, producing wares for sale through department stores and on party plan via Faberware as well as through the village. Early works looked as though they might have been made in the 1850s, with unturned bases, crude marks and dark treacle-like glazes. Peter Pilven, one of Gilbert's students, worked there after graduating from the Ballarat College of Advanced Education, teaching throwing to students like the potter John Ferguson, who was there from 1978-79. Potters were initially employed by Gilbert's company Pontresina Pty Ltd, registered in 1973. (The Old Ballarat Pottery was registered as a company from 1984-1994.) Early works are marked with an impressed long-tailed 'B', or an 'OB' on either side of a mine tower. A printed stamp also features a mine tower surrounded by the text 'Old Ballarat Pottery Made in Australia'. Later work is impressed 'Stoneware Old Ballarat Pottery Australia' with a kangaroo.Hand thrown blue glazed jug.Stamped 'Stoneware Old Ballarat Pottery?old ballarat pottery, australian studio pottery, jug, pontresina, ceramics

Old Ballarat Pottery was set up by John Gilbert as part of the Old Ballarat Village, opposite Sovereign Hill. Gilbert had lectured at Ballarat College of Advanced Education before establishing the Edinburgh Pottery at Sovereign Hill in 1972 to enable visitors to see traditional trades at work. The Old Ballarat Pottery was a much larger concern, producing wares for sale through department stores and on party plan via Faberware as well as through the village. Early works looked as though they might have been made in the 1850s, with unturned bases, crude marks and dark treacle-like glazes. Peter Pilven, one of Gilbert's students, worked there after graduating from the Ballarat College of Advanced Education, teaching throwing to students like the potter John Ferguson, who was there from 1978-79. Potters were initially employed by Gilbert's company Pontresina Pty Ltd, registered in 1973. (The Old Ballarat Pottery was registered as a company from 1984-1994.) Early works are marked with an impressed long-tailed 'B', or an 'OB' on either side of a mine tower. A printed stamp also features a mine tower surrounded by the text 'Old Ballarat Pottery Made in Australia'. Later work is impressed 'Stoneware Old Ballarat Pottery Australia' with a kangaroo.Hand thrown black glazed bottle with lip. Stamped 'Stoneware Old Ballarat Pottery' and impressed with a long tailed B.old ballarat pottery, australian studio pottery, pontresina, bottle

Blue hard covered book of 494 pages. Images, and a large plan of prominent burials in the Melbourne Old Cemetery, and a Map of Melbourne. melbourne, melbourne cemetery, melbourne old cemetery, john batman, edmund hobson, batman's map, st francis' church, james balfour, mrs hornbrook, paddy's market, wilson hall, working men's college, henry kendall, le souef's cottage, world war one, westernport, melbourne cup, hoddle, collingwood, south melbourne, prahran, richmond, kew, brunswick, coburg, preston, hawthorn, camberwell, nunawading, doncaster, st kilda, brighton, sandringham, cheltenham, caulfield, oalkleigh, footscray, sunshine, north melbourne, carlton, ballarat school of art library, ballarat technical art school, book plate, library plate, hume and hovell's overland journey 1824-5, major mtichell's overland journey, australia felix, booplate, aborigine, aboriginal, captain cook, arthur phillip, isaac smith, george bass, matthew flinders, john murray, catain baudain, captain collins, edward henty, portalnd, map od melbourne in 1938, john pascoe fawkner, the "enterprise: and fawkner's first home, old colonists' homes, rushall crescent north fitszroy, richard bourke, the old melbourne post offfice, old governmnt house, toorak, latrobe's house at jolimont, first melbourne land sale, melbourne water supply, peter henry smith, victorian legislative council opening, map of melbourne and collingwood, prince's bridge, crossing the rivers by punt, f.a> rucker, canvas city emerald hill, arrival of the gold escort in melbourne, the yarra, queen's wharf, tall ships, old st james, mary e. budd, st francis church, michael carr, meolbourne city mission, state library of victoria, melbourne public library, bourke street, angus mcmilan, methodist ladies college, ormond college, armistance celebrations, robert russell, mia mia, theatre royal bouke st, melbourne from flaggstaff hill, federal coffee palace collins st, lord melbourne, melbourne mint, old melbourne town hall, robert russell's melbourne and yarra falls, mandevalle hall, point lansdale lighthouse, wilson's promontory, margaret m. ward cole, williamstown, flinders st melbourne, queenscliff battery, broadmeadows soldiers' camp, embarkation of first troops on the 'ceramic', general monsash, ian hamilton, general bridges, victorian war memorial, national war memorial, st kilda pier, first melbourne cup, hoddle's grid, albert park, melbourne mechanic's institute, st kilda toll gate, munted policeman, springthorpe memorial, james bonwick, mornane's paddock, victorian railways melbourne and surburban lines, carlton gardens, thomas napier, wiliam westgarth, george augustus robinson, william lonsdale, elizabeth mary batman, peomena frances darling batman, dig tree, exhibition of 1854, exhibition of 1866, exhibition buildings, geelong harbour, jubilee lake, port campbell, warrnambool, queenscliff lightboat, batman's first house

Set of two documents concerning the "MTT (Adelaide), "Tramways Old Comrades Association" .1 - Constitution, 8 pages contained within a stippled light brown card cover, centre stapled, providing the rules or "Constitution - Tramways Old Comrades Association" - undated. .2 - folder printed on light brown card, "MTT Employees Old Comrades Association - Officers 1954- 1955", providing a list of officers, dates of meetings and other information.trams, tramways, adelaide, association, mtt, rules

A card with the committee of the Old Colonists' Club for 1958-9old colonists' club, ballarat, w.h. heinz, g.h.w. baker, l.a. blackman, f.c. wray, j.e. chamberlain, c.h. davis, r.a. nicholson, h. godbehear, h.r. sumner, w.m. roper

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 Old Sarum, England.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 Earth Banks, Old Sarum, Englandordnance 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

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 photographs of Castle toilets at Old Sarum, England. The toilets are constructed of stone. ordnance survey, william mudge, jesse ramsden, william the conqueror, old sarum, saxon, 1086, england, subjects, toilets

Paperback; viii, 201 p., [16] p. of plates : ill., maps, ports. ; 25 cmISBN 1740970675houses, buildings, victoria

stawell

Made in the old Buninyong Library building which leased rooms to the potter. Small clay jar with brown glaze and bat-like red coloured figure patterning. Small stopper and handle at the top. Old Library Pottery, G.S.C., Buninyongceramics, pottery, old library pottery

Images of the Old Buninyong Library show the building in a semi-dilapidated condition. The images were taken fifteen before the efforts began to restore the building for public and commercial use. Refer to the Information Folders within the BVIC Archives records for further information. The Buninyong Community website includes a brief history of the building. A red folder containing a group of photographs of the Old Buninyong Library taken by Barry Cox in October 1964. Old Buninyong Libraryold buninyong library, heritage buildings, libraries, heritage preservation

Colour photograph of Plaque on walls of old Buninyong BathsThe plaque outlines the history of the baths constructed in the 1870's as a water source, their redesign by C.C.P. Wilson and reconstruction by WW1 soldiers and their continuing role within the Buninyong Community.Colour photograph of the Plaque on the wall of old Buninyong Swimming Pool giving history of the Old Baths in Buninyong Botanical GardensOld swimming pool, Buninyong gardens built c 1918, restored 1993-94. Photo taken Jan 1995returned soldiers ww1, buninyong gardens, memorial gardens, buninyong baths, c.c.p. wilson

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

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