There are several ways to find out the center or true ‘centroid location’ of England . Be psychic, be a ley line enthusiast with powerful divination rods or cut out a really accurate cardboard representation of England and finely balance it on a sharpened pencil tip so that it lies totally level.
The point at which it becomes ‘totally level’ is its ‘centroid location’. Ordnance survey obviously use complicated mathematics to get a more accurate fix and on June 14th this year, (2013) they located and stuck a plaque on an upturned railway sleeper at co-ordinates:
52 degrees 33’ 42.942” N 1 degree27’ 53.474” W (Village name-Fenny Drayton, Leicestershire).
-slap back in the middle of Mr. Farmer’s field, (his name is Mr. Farmer!) just half a mile away from where I am sitting in a pub using their wifi. The post is in the middle of a wheat field at the moment. Public right of way is being applied for and Mr. Farmer is hoping it will become a tourist attraction…and it might.
If it does, there’s a great campsite just up the road called “Upton Barn Camping and Caravan Site”. I mention it here because they rely a lot on word of mouth as they are not allowed to put up any signs out on the roadsides. There are too many of them apparently. It’s a good campsite!
So I’ve come to the centre of England to try and sell my Pallet Prayer. Bit drastic perhaps. Bit stupid perhaps, but hey, why not, it’s not selling at the moment and maybe this little expedition will kickstart the event.
On leaving Dorset I passed two reclamation yards. The first said ‘you’ll sell it if you keep looking’, the second said, ‘try the wood fairs’, so I have e mailed the famous Oak Gaylard wood fair at King Stag in Dorset to see if they have any spare space in their August show…and I am keeping looking for a buyer!
I’ve spent £25 so far on fuel to get here. It’s a tenner a night at the campsite. I’ve gotta pay for food, coffees and sundries. I’ve gotta get back, and I’ve just found out a photographer will charge me £75 to take a really good photo of the pallet. Could be worth it.
I’ve e mailed the BBC up here, as they have covered the new ‘centroid location’ for local news. I have e mailed a local Craft Gallery who sell unusual items, and I have e mailed the local papers to see if they are interested in my Pallet Prayer from Ibiza to middle England story. It’s back on E bay and it’s still on Etsy.
I read a great article in the Tamworth Herald this morning. Amazing story of a man who dropped his wedding ring in a river…and it was later miraculously found. You should see how he was looking for it! The video’s great:
Fenny Drayton, the ‘centroid’ of England is criss crossed with roman roads, leylines and the site of the Battle of Bosworth is just nearby. Seems to have been a busy place, but can I find my own centroid? Can I allow myself to relax, freshen up my own ley lines, and become a point of power in my own little life and draw a buyer for my Pallet Prayer to me? I probably didn’t have to drive 175 miles to do it-but knowing you are at a centre of attention for a while must help-right?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200944403399&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:GB:1123
The Professional Litter Picker. 