Framed survey of Winterbourne by D. C. Robinson, 1953. Shows gardens and grounds. House not surveyed in detail. Scale 1:500.
Donated by student David Robinson who helped complete the survey as part of his Civil Engineering degree, we’re lucky enough to have a first-hand account of how it was carried out: “The survey was carried out from an accurately measured base-line and triangulated from that. In other words, angles were measured and the distances between stations - marked on the survey by small blue circles - calculated, not measured. The survey detail was obtained by measuring o sets, from the straight lines between stations to all the features of the garden and buildings. The red lines are contours. Surveying has advanced a lot in the last 40 years or so and would be carried out much more easily and faster these days". Referring to the blank space where the terrace should be, David says “On the very first day, due to the interest shown by us students in the ground floor bedrooms, the terrace at the rear of the building was put out of bounds!…When Smith was caught with his theodolite telescope trained on an upstairs window, we were in further trouble!” David Robinson