A postcard of the obelisk on Pole Hill, Chingford (Image: Postcard by F Frith & Co Ltd Reigate) (Image: F Frith & Co Ltd Reigate)
In 1824, an obelisk was erected on Pole Hill in Chingford on the Greenwich Meridian which could be seen from Greenwich.
It was used as a marker by geographers at the Greenwich Observatory to set their telescopes and observation equipment to a true zero-degree bearing.
The Greenwich Meridian was changed in 1850 (adopted in 1884) and now passes 5.79m to the east so a second obelisk was built.
- Gary Stone is a local historian: chingfordhistory.org.uk
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