There has long been debate over the exact location of the geographical centre of the United Kingdom, and its constituent countries, due to the complexity and method of the calculation, such as whether to include offshore islands, and the fact that erosion will cause the position to change over time. There are two main methods of calculating this "centre": either as the centroid of the two-dimensional shape made by the country (projected to the Airy ellipsoid then flattened using the Transverse Mercator projection), or as the point farthest from the boundary of the country (either the sea, or, in the case of constituent countries, a land border). These two methods give quite different answers.
The town of Haltwhistle in Northumberland has banners stating that it is the "Centre of Britain". [1] By another calculation the centre can also be said to be Dunsop Bridge, Lancashire, 71 miles (114 km) to the south. [2]
However, in 2002 the Ordnance Survey conducted studies that pinpointed the respective centres more precisely, and it is their results that are quoted below. [3]
The centroid is a mathematically derived point that is in every sense the centre of a two dimensional area like a piece of land. If a straight line is drawn through a centroid in any direction there will be equal length of the line on either side of the centroid as measured from it to the boundary if the line is unbroken on either side. If a line crosses an inlet of the sea then it can be considered as a stick of uniform weight with a material of negligible weight crossing the water, the line would then balance precisely at the centroid point if suspended.
Put simply, the centroid is the point at which a cardboard cut-out of the area could be perfectly balanced on the tip of a pencil. [4] Islands are assumed fixed to the mainland in their precise position by invisible rigid weightless wires. A mathematical method is used to do the balancing to a much greater accuracy than the practical method could achieve.
Unless stated, positions are the centroids of the two-dimensional shapes made by the countries. Calculations include offshore islands unless stated.
Point farthest from the sea
Point farthest from high tide mark (including tidal rivers)
Mid point of the longest north–south axis
Centre of population
Centre of England
For centuries the parish of Meriden to the west of Coventry has claimed to be the geographical centre of England, and there has been a stone cross there commemorating the claim for at least 500 years. The justification is that the point farthest from the sea is in the parish.[ citation needed ] Morton, Derbyshire also claims to be the centre of England as it is not only midway along England's longest north-south axis,[ citation needed ] but also midway between the east coast and the Welsh border.[ citation needed ] Claims are also made for a tree, the Midland Oak, in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, although the basis for these claims is not clear.
Westmorland is an area of Northern England which was historically a county. People of the area are known as Westmerians. The area includes part of the Lake District and the southern Vale of Eden.
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the riding was an administrative county named County of York, West Riding. The lieutenancy at that time included the city of York and as such was named "West Riding of the County of York and the County of the City of York". The riding ceased to be used for administrative purposes in 1974, when England's local government was reformed.
The Forest of Bowland, also known as the Bowland Fells and formerly the Chase of Bowland, is an area of gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, England, with a small part in North Yorkshire. It is a western outlier of the Pennines.
In geography, a pole of inaccessibility is the farthest and most difficult to access location in a given landmass, sea, or topographical feature, category, or criterion, relative to a given origin point. A geographical criterion of inaccessibility marks a location that is the most challenging to reach according to that criterion. Often it refers to the most distant point from the coastline, implying the farthest point into a landmass from touching the shore, or the farthest point into the ocean from any landmass. In these cases, a pole of inaccessibility can be defined as the center of the largest circle that can be drawn within an area of interest without encountering a coast. Where a coast is imprecisely defined, the pole will be similarly imprecise.
Oswaldtwistle is a town in the Hyndburn borough of Lancashire, England, 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Blackburn, contiguous with Accrington and Church. The town has a rich industrial heritage, being home to James Hargreaves, inventor of the spinning jenny, and Robert "Parsley" Peel of calico printing fame. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal passes through the town and was responsible for the export of much of the area's cotton produce.
Haltwhistle is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, 22.9 miles east of Carlisle and 36.8 miles west of Newcastle upon Tyne. It had a population of 3,811 at the 2011 Census.
Aislaby is a small village and civil parish on the north bank of the River Tees within the borough of Stockton-on-Tees and the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is located to the west of Eaglescliffe and Yarm. The name, first attested as Asulue(s)bi in 1086, is of Viking origin and means "Aslak's farm." Aislaby was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086.
Cornriggs is a hamlet in the civil parish of Stanhope, in County Durham, England. It is situated on the north side of Weardale in the North Pennines, which is designated as both an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a UNESCO Global Geopark.
Hunstanworth is a village in County Durham, England. It is situated approximately 10 miles to the west of Consett, south-west of the village of Blanchland. The population of the village as taken at the 2011 Census was 116.
In demographics, the center of population of a region is a geographical point that describes a centerpoint of the region's population. There are several ways of defining such a "center point", leading to different geographical locations; these are often confused.
Barmston is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the Holderness coast, overlooking the North Sea and to the east of the A165 road. Barmston is approximately 6 miles (10 km) south of Bridlington town centre. The parish includes the village of Fraisthorpe, the former villages of Auburn and Hartburn have been abandoned due to coastal erosion. Barmston is mentioned in the Domesday Book as having eight ploughlands and belonging to Drogo of la Beuvrière. The name of the village derives from Beorn's Tūn. According to the 2011 UK census, Barmston and Fraisthorpe parish had a population of 275, a slight decrease on the 2001 UK census figure of 277. The parish covering an area of 1,765.014 hectares.
Coton in the Elms is a village and parish in the English county of Derbyshire. At 70 miles (110 km) from the coast, it is one of the furthest places in the United Kingdom from coastal waters. The population of the civil parish as of the 2011 census was 896. It is located 5 miles (8.0 km) southwest of Swadlincote and 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Burton upon Trent.
Slyne-with-Hest is a civil parish in the City of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. It had a population of 3,163 recorded in the 2001 census, decreasing to 3,126 at the 2011 Census. The parish is north of Lancaster and consists of two villages; Slyne, on the A6 road, and Hest Bank on the coast.
In geography, the centroid of the two-dimensional shape of a region of the Earth's surface is known as its geographic centre or geographical centre or gravitational centre. Informally, determining the centroid is often described as finding the point upon which the shape would balance. This method is also sometimes described as the "gravitational method".
The Trough of Bowland is a valley and high pass in the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Lancashire, England.
Cwmystwyth is a village in Ceredigion, Wales near Devil's Bridge, and Pont-rhyd-y-groes.
This is a list of the extreme points and extreme elevations in Wales.
Humphrey Head is a limestone outcrop situated south of the village of Allithwaite in Cumbria, England. It is whale-back-shaped and accessible for walkers, giving views over Morecambe Bay to Lancaster, Morecambe, Heysham and over the Leven estuary to Ulverston. There is an Ordnance Survey trig point at the top.
Brennand Farm is often claimed to be the true centre of Great Britain.