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.

For centuries Meriden, West Midlands held the claim 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 furthest from the sea is in the vicinity of Meriden.

Similarly, the town of Haltwhistle in Northumberland still sports banners stating that it is the 'Centre of Britain'.

Schiehallion, a mountain in Perthshire, is sometimes described as the centre of Scotland.

However, 2002 studies by the Ordnance Survey pinpointed the centres more precisely, and it is their results that are quoted here. Their calculations find the position of the centroid of the two-dimensional shapes made by the countries. All locations include offshore islands, unless stated.

Locations

Great Britain

• Brennand Farm , near Dunsop Bridge , Lancashire (; grid reference SD 64188.3 56541.43)

Great Britain (excluding islands)

• Calderstones Hospital , near Whalley , Lancashire (SD 72321.72 36671.1)

England

• Lindley Hall Farm , near Fenny Drayton, Leicestershire (52° 33′ 42.942″ N 1° 27′ 53.474″ W; SP 36373.66 96143.05)

Northern Ireland

• Annaghone , County Tyrone (54° 36′ 27.277″ N 6° 41′ 35.323″ W)

Scotland

• Between Blair Atholl and Dalwhinnie , Perthshire (56° 49′ 0.257″ N 4° 11′ 2.267″ W; NN 66784.93 71599.4)

Wales

• Near Cwmystwyth , Ceredigion (52° 19′ 48.791″ N 3° 45′ 59.072″ W; SN 79728.22 71704.43)

Furthest point from the sea

• Church Flatts Farm , Coton in the Elms , Derbyshire

See also

• Extreme points of the United Kingdom
• Geography of the United Kingdom