Is there any truth in the fact that church towers/steeples were used exclusively as waypoints for bearings on maps following leylines in the Middle Ages?
I'm sure I have seen a picture somewhere which doubles up as a map and It uses only churches which can be seen at a distance from another church and the main "road" path would be a near straight line.

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Originally posted by bedstor:
Is there any truth in the fact that church towers/steeples were used exclusively as waypoints for bearings on maps following leylines in the Middle Ages?
I'm sure I have seen a picture somewhere which doubles up as a map and It uses only churches which can be seen at a distance from another church and the main "road" path would be a near straight line.

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Perhaps in flat, open country. Of course as you approach mountains you hope to cross, you follow the rivers, as they take you to the lowest passes, usually by the easiest routes.

But since church, town and bridge tend to be co-located, heading for a steeple or other tower would be a good move if you planned to travel in a direction other than along the river.

Alan Moore

um, in most of europe, at least, i know that the shape of the top of the tower/steeple was to show what kind of church it is. a round one is catholic and a skinny pointy one is protestant.