William Roy

William Roy's triangulation survey of Britain and his proposal for a comprehensive national survey laid the direct groundwork for the founding of the Ordnance Survey in 1791, the year after his death. He is often considered the spiritual father of the organization.

Following the Jacobite rising of 1745, Roy was tasked with conducting a detailed military survey of the Scottish Highlands, producing maps that were the first systematic large-scale cartographic coverage of the region. The survey took approximately eight years to complete.

Roy's original baseline was measured on Hounslow Heath, west of London, and a commemorative monument marking its location can still be found in the area. This baseline was a critical foundation for the triangulation of southern Britain.

In addition to his cartographic work, Roy was a pioneering figure in British archaeology and conducted important studies of Roman military sites in Scotland. His book on Roman antiquities in northern Britain was published posthumously and remains a significant scholarly reference.