Ordnance Survey Trigpoints.

There is a Trigpoint on the edge of Mathams wood on Sawbridgeworth airfield. It is situated to the north of the airfield. Likewise, there is a trigpoint in blackhut wood on Hunsdon airfield, again to the north of what was the airfield.
Were these Ordnance Survey trigpoints instrumental in the airfields construction, or are they just co-incidental that they are right on these two former airfields?. Has anyone else found trigpoints on airfields?

Here is hunsdons trig.

Trig points started to be placed in the middle of the 1930's and it should be that from any one you can see two others (on a clear day). I would hazard a guess that it's purely coincidence that they happen to be on airfields but a few temporary one's were put up here and there to help with construction. However, those photos look like the permanent model.

I'm assuming the one above is this one

It is Hunsdons trig OneEighthBit. Thanks for the explanation,

Oops my bad. Should of read better

Trig points were first erected when the Ordnance survet started to survey britain in the early nineteenth century, not the nineteen thirties.

Now given the use of satellite imagery they are defunct. And from one trig point you should be able to see another four.

canberra wrote:

Trig points were first erected when the Ordnance survet started to survey britain in the early nineteenth century, not the nineteen thirties.

Now given the use of satellite imagery they are defunct. And from one trig point you should be able to see another four.

Every source I can find suggests Trig Points as we know them began to be erected during the 1930s as part of OS's 'Retriangulation of Great Britain' project.

There's an excellent article here .

I have seen a fair few on airfields although I doubt I could list them! I would say that their location is just coincidence though.

Anyone know why all the trig points have their sockets filled in with mortar or similar? Off topic I know but it has always intrigued me... :

Yes trig points "as we know them" may have been erected in the thirties, but they were first built in the early nineteenh century.

And funnily enough Ive never seen one on an airfield!

Arcade wrote:

I have seen a fair few on airfields although I doubt I could list them! I would say that their location is just coincidence though.

Anyone know why all the trig points have their sockets filled in with mortar or similar? Off topic I know but it has always intrigued me... :

To stop naughty people like you from doing your own survey and making your own maps! Intellectual Property Rights?

PETERTHEEATER wrote:

Arcade wrote:

I have seen a fair few on airfields although I doubt I could list them! I would say that their location is just coincidence though.

Anyone know why all the trig points have their sockets filled in with mortar or similar? Off topic I know but it has always intrigued me... :

To stop naughty people like you from doing your own survey and making your own maps! Intellectual Property Rights?

Hehe it's been a constant temptation for me!

You would have thought that they had some sort of locking plug to do the same thing, filling them with cement was a bit terminal after all... I suppose it was probably done after the points became obsolete?