What are Benchmarks?
Benchmarks are mapping tools that were used throughout the 19th century all over the world. Benchmarks today look like crows feet carved into stone with three prongs extending from a horizontal line.
They were originally created to align the base of a graduated staff, which is a stick with a series of marks, which would have been in inches back then. The level is a swivelling telescope that can be set up to turn in a perfectly horizontal plane. The surveyor reads the number on the staff and compares it with the number on the next staff reading. This indicates whether one reading is above or below the other. Everything is then reduced back to the benchmark level.
They were placed on permanent structures, usually at the corners of streets in order to accurately calculate the distance between buildings. The height of the benchmark corresponded with the height of nearby benchmarks, all of which were based on a known level in relation to sea level, the guides for this was called Fundamental Benchmarks. They were also a tool for later surveyors to use when repositioning in the same place in the future.
Where can you find Benchmarks?
Benchmarks were originally carved into stone which was considered to be permanent at the time. In urban areas, they were found quite often on the front wall or the corner of a building or on a bridge, as can be seen in the photographs below. In rural areas, they were usually found on roadside houses and farm buildings and stone pillars. Though with redevelopments and road changes the majority of these benchmarks are no longer there.
When were Benchmarks created?
The first ordnance survey, and so the first benchmarks date from 1824, were carried out by the military. By 1900 the last benchmark had been carved into stone but these markings were to aid engineers for almost a century until satellite information was developed to pinpoint locations. Each benchmark that remains today is well over 100 years old and a testament to the engineers of our past.
Benchmarks were used to create historic maps such as this one of Limerick click on the “pan” button to move the map around. You can see a collection of other benchmarks around Ireland at Benchmark Sites
You can see the locations of the Benchmarks, Fundamental Stones and MileStones that Limerick’s Life has located in the map below.
View Limerick Benchmarks in a larger map
Click on the tab to see photographs of the Benchmarks today. The numbers on this pictures correspond with the locations on the map above.
1. Old Warehouse on Shannon Street
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2. Tait’s Clock, Baker Place
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3. Georgian Building, Mallow Street
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4. Villers’ Orphanage and School, Henry Street
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5. Barrington’s Hospital, George’s Quay
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6. Centre of Baal’s Bridge
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7. Corner of Roden Street and O’Connell Avenue
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8. O’Connell Avenue
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9. Carlisle Terrace, O’Connell Avenue
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10. St. John’s Parish Fountain, Cathedral Place
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11. Centre of Mathew Bridge
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12. Townhouse, John Square
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13. Cleeve’s Factory, formally John Norris Russell Flax Mill, O’Callaghan Strand
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14. Boat Club, Sarsfield Bridge formally Wellesley Bridge
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15. Centre of Thomond Bridge
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16. Remnant of Old Park Bridge, on O’Dwyers Bridge
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17. Workhouse/St.Camillus Hospital, Shelbourne Road
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18. Gatehouse, Corbally Road
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19. Railway Bridge, Corbally Road
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20. Back of St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Augustine Lane
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21. Lock Mill Archway, Canal Bank
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22. The Milk Market, Mungret Street.
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23. Athlunkard Bridge, Corbally
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24. Red Path, Springbrook, Corbally
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25. Ryanhart House, Mill Road, Corbally
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26. Old Bishop’s House, Mill Road, Corbally
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27. Courthouse, Merchant’s Quay
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28. Newtown Mahon, Upper William Street.
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29. Limerick Clothing Factory, Lord Edward Street
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30. South Circular Road
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31. Mount St. Alphonsus, South Circular Road
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32. Old Gas Works, Dock Road
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33. Potato Market, Merchants Quay
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34. Custom House, Rutland Street
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35. The Granary, Michael Street
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36. Good Shepherd Convent (Art College), Clare Street
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37. Saint Peter Street, off Nicholas Street
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38. North Circular Road
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39. Heron Court, North Circular Road
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40. Villers School, North Circular Road
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41. North Circular Road
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42. Eden Terrace, North Circular Road
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43. North Circular Road
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44. Beech Lawn, North Circular Road
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45. O’Connell Street, at Hartstonge Street
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46. Bishop’s Quay
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47. Old Barracks, Mulgrave Street
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48. Lancaster School, Old Clare Street
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49. Mount Saint Lawrence Cemetery Boundary Wall
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50. Villiers Alms House, Church Road
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51. Limerick Prison, Mulgrave Street
With many thanks to a very nice Prison Warden who took the close-up picture.
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52. Saint John’s Cathedral, Garryowen Road
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53. Mallow Street and Pery Square
This benchmark is with thanks to Benchmark Sites
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54. St Michael Church, Church of Ireland, Pery Square
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55. Villier’s Alms House, Church Street, second mark
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56. Clancy Strand
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57. Thomond House, Thomondgate
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58. Wall of the former Good Shepherd Convent, Clare Street
Image with thanks to Joe Mag Fhionnghaile
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59. Castle Troy
Image with thanks to Joe Mag Fhionnghaile
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60. St Patrick’s Well
Image with thanks to Joe Mag Fhionnghaile
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61. Sarsfield Barracks
Sarsfield Barracks has a number of benchmarks and fundemental stones surrounding its large complex. This one is at the entrance on Lord Edward Street.
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62. Sarsfield Barracks
Next to Barrack Fields
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Miles Stones
Other stone street markers are the Mile Stones, which were old version of sign posts indicating how many miles were between one location and another.
1. Dublin Road, Mile Stone and Benchmark
Showing the distance between Limerick and Nenagh. This benchmark is thanks to Bock the Robber
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2.Dock Road, Mile Stone
This shows the distance between Limerick and Tarbert
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3. Canal Bank, Mile Stone
This shows the distance between Limerick and Killaloe
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If in your wanderings around Limerick you discover any of your own benchmarks, let us know and we will add it to the custom Benchmark Map above.
Hello Eamon,
I am glad that I am not alone in my enthusiasm for the simple benchmark, I didn’t realise how many were left until I began this task. I am sure there are more for me to discover, and the fun is in discovering them.
I would love the Ordnance Datum Values, my email is limerickslife@gmail.com it is great to be able to relate these marks to other points. I didn’t realise that the originals were marked from Poolbeg in Dublin, thank you for that information.
Sharon
Well done Sharon —
This is an excellent site for us Landsurveyors. Im glad im not the only one who walks around looking for these. I have in the past searched for and found most of the benchmarks that you mention above, as we would use them fairly regularly to validate our survey work.
I have never gone to the trouble of photographing them though. If you like I can provide you with the Ordnance Datum Values (ie height above sea level). These will be in Metres relative to Malin Head in Donegal as opposed to the older bench marking system where the values were relative to Poolbeg in Dublin and were displayed in Feet.
In the last number of years with the advent of GPS techniques these Benchmarks have mostly become redundant.
Cheers
Eamon !
Please do and let us know if you find them.
It is a great feeling when you find them. I have spotted them in Cork too.
Since reading an earlier post on these, I now walk with my eyes glued to lower parts of walls!
Was ecstatic to find one in Roscrea recently!
Fascinating!!! will keep an eye out for more!