Bearing Equivalent Table
for the Old Compass
by Eve Gregory |
This Bearing Equivalent Table
contains the main compass divisions used in seventeenth and eighteenth
century Virginia land boundary descriptions and their degree equivalents.
It is divided into six columns. Reading from the left, they are Old
Compass Points, their equivalent Decimal Degrees of arc from
zero to 360, the four Quadrants into which they fall (North East,
South East, South West, North West), and the equivalent modern compass
bearings separated into Degrees, Minutes, and Seconds. When the
same compass point is known to have been referred to by two different designations,
they are both listed opposite the same degree equivalent. To find the equivalent
of N by 1/4 E, for example, the degree equivalent on the same line
in the three right columns (2 degrees, 48 minutes, 45 seconds) is inserted
between the two letters on the same line in the Quadrants column
(NE) which gives a bearing of N 2 degrees, 48 minutes, 45 seconds E. Fractional
divisions not listed in this table are rare, but they do occur and can
be converted by multiplying the degree difference (eleven and one quarter
degrees) between the two nearest standard compass points by the fraction
and applying it appropriately as explained in How
to Plot Old Land Boundaries. |
Old
Compass Points |
Decimal
Degrees |
Quadrants |
Degrees |
Minutes |
Seconds |
N |
0.0000 |
NE |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N
1/4 E |
2.8125 |
NE |
2 |
48 |
45 |
N
by 1/4 E |
2.8125 |
NE |
2 |
48 |
45 |
N
1/2 E |
5.6250 |
NE |
5 |
37 |
30 |
N
by 1/2 E |
5.6250 |
NE |
5 |
37 |
30 |
N
3/4 E |
8.4375 |
NE |
8 |
26 |
15 |
N
by 3/4 E |
8.4375 |
NE |
8 |
26 |
15 |
N
by E |
11.2500 |
NE |
11 |
15 |
0 |
N
by E 1/4 E |
14.0625 |
NE |
14 |
3 |
45 |
NNE
3/4 N |
14.0625 |
NE |
14 |
3 |
45 |
N
by E 1/2 E |
16.8750 |
NE |
16 |
52 |
30 |
NNE
1/2 N |
16.8750 |
NE |
16 |
52 |
30 |
N
by E 3/4 E |
19.6875 |
NE |
19 |
41 |
15 |
NNE
1/4 N |
19.6875 |
NE |
19 |
41 |
15 |
NNE |
22.5000 |
NE |
22 |
30 |
0 |
NNE
1/4 E |
25.3125 |
NE |
25 |
18 |
45 |
NE
by N 3/4 N |
25.3125 |
NE |
25 |
18 |
45 |
NNE
1/2 E |
28.1250 |
NE |
28 |
7 |
30 |
NE
by N 1/2 N |
28.1250 |
NE |
28 |
7 |
30 |
NNE
3/4 E |
30.9375 |
NE |
30 |
56 |
15 |
NE
by N 1/4 N |
30.9375 |
NE |
30 |
56 |
15 |
NE
by N |
33.7500 |
NE |
33 |
45 |
0 |
NE
by N 1/4 E |
36.5625 |
NE |
36 |
33 |
45 |
NE
by 3/4 N |
36.5625 |
NE |
36 |
33 |
45 |
NE
by N 1/2 E |
39.3750 |
NE |
39 |
22 |
30 |
NE
by 1/2 N |
39.3750 |
NE |
39 |
22 |
30 |
NE
by N 3/4 E |
42.1875 |
NE |
42 |
11 |
15 |
NE
by 1/4 N |
42.1875 |
NE |
42 |
11 |
15 |
NE |
45.0000 |
NE |
45 |
0 |
0 |
NE
by 1/4 E |
47.8125 |
NE |
47 |
48 |
45 |
NE
by E 3/4 N |
47.8125 |
NE |
47 |
48 |
45 |
NE
by 1/2 E |
50.6250 |
NE |
50 |
37 |
30 |
NE
by E 1/2 N |
50.6250 |
NE |
50 |
37 |
30 |
NE
by 3/4 E |
53.4375 |
NE |
53 |
26 |
15 |
NE
by E 1/4 N |
53.4375 |
NE |
53 |
26 |
15 |
NE
by E |
56.2500 |
NE |
56 |
15 |
0 |
NE
by E 1/4 E |
59.0625 |
NE |
59 |
3 |
45 |
ENE
3/4 N |
59.0625 |
NE |
59 |
3 |
45 |
NE
by E 1/2 E |
61.8750 |
NE |
61 |
52 |
30 |
ENE
1/2 N |
61.8750 |
NE |
61 |
52 |
30 |
NE
by E 3/4 E |
64.6875 |
NE |
64 |
41 |
15 |
ENE
1/4 N |
64.6875 |
NE |
64 |
41 |
15 |
ENE |
67.5000 |
NE |
67 |
30 |
0 |
ENE
1/4 E |
70.3125 |
NE |
70 |
18 |
45 |
E
by N 3/4 N |
70.3125 |
NE |
70 |
18 |
45 |
ENE
1/2 E |
73.1250 |
NE |
73 |
7 |
30 |
E
by N 1/2 N |
73.1250 |
NE |
73 |
7 |
30 |
ENE
3/4 E |
75.9375 |
NE |
75 |
56 |
15 |
E
by N 1/4 N |
75.9375 |
NE |
75 |
56 |
15 |
E
by N |
78.7500 |
NE |
78 |
45 |
0 |
E
by 3/4 N |
81.5625 |
NE |
81 |
33 |
45 |
E
by 1/2 N |
84.3750 |
NE |
84 |
22 |
30 |
E
by 1/4 N |
87.1875 |
NE |
87 |
11 |
15 |
E |
90.0000 |
NE |
90 |
0 |
0 |
E
by 1/4 S |
92.8125 |
SE |
87 |
11 |
15 |
E
by 1/2 S |
95.6250 |
SE |
84 |
22 |
30 |
E
by 3/4 S |
98.4375 |
SE |
81 |
33 |
45 |
E
by S |
101.2500 |
SE |
78 |
45 |
0 |
E
by S 1/4 S |
104.0625 |
SE |
75 |
56 |
15 |
ESE
3/4 E |
104.0625 |
SE |
75 |
56 |
15 |
E
by S 1/2 S |
106.8750 |
SE |
73 |
7 |
30 |
ESE
1/2 E |
106.8750 |
SE |
73 |
7 |
30 |
E
by S 3/4 S |
109.6875 |
SE |
70 |
18 |
45 |
ESE
1/4 E |
109.6875 |
SE |
70 |
18 |
45 |
ESE |
112.5000 |
SE |
67 |
30 |
0 |
ESE
1/4 S |
115.3125 |
SE |
64 |
41 |
15 |
SE
by E 3/4 E |
115.3125 |
SE |
64 |
41 |
15 |
ESE
1/2 S |
118.1250 |
SE |
61 |
52 |
30 |
SE
by E 1/2 E |
118.1250 |
SE |
61 |
52 |
30 |
ESE
3/4 S |
120.9375 |
SE |
59 |
3 |
45 |
SE
by E 1/4 E |
120.9375 |
SE |
59 |
3 |
45 |
SE
by E |
123.7500 |
SE |
56 |
15 |
0 |
SE
by E 1/4 S |
126.5625 |
SE |
53 |
26 |
15 |
SE
by 3/4 E |
126.5625 |
SE |
53 |
26 |
15 |
SE
by E 1/2 S |
129.3750 |
SE |
50 |
37 |
30 |
SE
by 1/2 E |
129.3750 |
SE |
50 |
37 |
30 |
SE
by E 3/4 S |
132.1875 |
SE |
47 |
48 |
45 |
SE
by 1/4 E |
132.1875 |
SE |
47 |
48 |
45 |
SE |
135.0000 |
SE |
45 |
0 |
0 |
SE
by 1/4 S |
137.8125 |
SE |
42 |
11 |
15 |
SE
by S 3/4 E |
137.8125 |
SE |
42 |
11 |
15 |
SE
by 1/2 S |
140.6250 |
SE |
39 |
22 |
30 |
SE
by S 1/2 E |
140.6250 |
SE |
39 |
22 |
30 |
SE
by 3/4 S |
143.4375 |
SE |
36 |
33 |
45 |
SE
by S 1/4 E |
143.4375 |
SE |
36 |
33 |
45 |
SE
by S |
146.2500 |
SE |
33 |
45 |
0 |
SE
by S 1/4 S |
149.0625 |
SE |
30 |
56 |
15 |
SSE
3/4 E |
149.0625 |
SE |
30 |
56 |
15 |
SE
by S 1/2 S |
151.8750 |
SE |
28 |
7 |
30 |
SSE
1/2 E |
151.8750 |
SE |
28 |
7 |
30 |
SE
by S 3/4 S |
154.6875 |
SE |
25 |
18 |
45 |
SSE
1/4 E |
154.6875 |
SE |
25 |
18 |
45 |
SSE |
157.5000 |
SE |
22 |
30 |
0 |
SSE
1/4 S |
160.3125 |
SE |
19 |
41 |
15 |
S
by E 3/4 E |
160.3125 |
SE |
19 |
41 |
15 |
SSE
1/2 S |
163.1250 |
SE |
16 |
52 |
30 |
S
by E 1/2 E |
163.1250 |
SE |
16 |
52 |
30 |
SSE
3/4 S |
165.9375 |
SE |
14 |
3 |
45 |
S
by E 1/4 E |
165.9375 |
SE |
14 |
3 |
45 |
S
by E |
168.7500 |
SE |
11 |
15 |
0 |
S
by 3/4 E |
171.5625 |
SE |
8 |
26 |
15 |
S
3/4 E |
171.5625 |
SE |
8 |
26 |
15 |
S
by1/2 E |
174.3750 |
SE |
5 |
37 |
30 |
S
1/2 E |
174.3750 |
SE |
5 |
37 |
30 |
S
by 1/4 E |
177.1875 |
SE |
2 |
48 |
45 |
S
1/4 E |
177.1875 |
SE |
2 |
48 |
45 |
S |
180.0000 |
SW |
0 |
0 |
0 |
S
1/4 W |
182.8125 |
SW |
2 |
48 |
45 |
S
by 1/4 W |
182.8125 |
SW |
2 |
48 |
45 |
S
1/2 W |
185.6250 |
SW |
5 |
37 |
30 |
S
by 1/2 W |
185.6250 |
SW |
5 |
37 |
30 |
S
3/4 W |
188.4375 |
SW |
8 |
26 |
15 |
S
by 3/4 W |
188.4375 |
SW |
8 |
26 |
15 |
S
by W |
191.2500 |
SW |
11 |
15 |
0 |
S
by W 1/4 W |
194.0625 |
SW |
14 |
3 |
45 |
SSW
3/4 S |
194.0625 |
SW |
14 |
3 |
45 |
S
by W 1/2 W |
196.8750 |
SW |
16 |
52 |
30 |
SSW
1/2 S |
196.8750 |
SW |
16 |
52 |
30 |
S
by W 3/4 W |
199.6875 |
SW |
19 |
41 |
15 |
SSW
1/4 S |
199.6875 |
SW |
19 |
41 |
15 |
SSW |
202.5000 |
SW |
22 |
30 |
0 |
SSW
1/4 W |
205.3125 |
SW |
25 |
18 |
45 |
SW
by S 3/4 S |
205.3125 |
SW |
25 |
18 |
45 |
SSW
1/2 W |
208.1250 |
SW |
28 |
7 |
30 |
SW
by S 1/2 S |
208.1250 |
SW |
28 |
7 |
30 |
SSW
3/4 W |
210.9375 |
SW |
30 |
56 |
15 |
SW
by S 1/4 S |
210.9375 |
SW |
30 |
56 |
15 |
SW
by S |
213.7500 |
SW |
33 |
45 |
0 |
SW
by S 1/4 W |
216.5625 |
SW |
36 |
33 |
45 |
SW
by 3/4 S |
216.5625 |
SW |
36 |
33 |
45 |
SW
by S 1/2 W |
219.3750 |
SW |
39 |
22 |
30 |
SW
by 1/2 S |
219.3750 |
SW |
39 |
22 |
30 |
SW
by S 3/4 W |
222.1875 |
SW |
42 |
11 |
15 |
SW
by 1/4 S |
222.1875 |
SW |
42 |
11 |
15 |
SW |
225.0000 |
SW |
45 |
0 |
0 |
SW
by 1/4 W |
227.8125 |
SW |
47 |
48 |
45 |
SW
by S 3/4 S |
227.8125 |
SW |
47 |
48 |
45 |
SW
by 1/2 W |
230.6250 |
SW |
50 |
37 |
30 |
SW
by S 1/2 S |
230.6250 |
SW |
50 |
37 |
30 |
SW
by 3/4 W |
233.4375 |
SW |
53 |
26 |
15 |
SW
by W 1/4 S |
233.4375 |
SW |
53 |
26 |
15 |
SW
by W |
236.2500 |
SW |
56 |
15 |
0 |
SW
by W 1/4 W |
239.0625 |
SW |
59 |
3 |
45 |
WSW
3/4 S |
239.0625 |
SW |
59 |
3 |
45 |
SW
by W 1/2 W |
241.8750 |
SW |
61 |
52 |
30 |
WSW
1/2 S |
241.8750 |
SW |
61 |
52 |
30 |
SW
by W 3/4 W |
244.6875 |
SW |
64 |
41 |
15 |
WSW
1/4 S |
244.6875 |
SW |
64 |
41 |
15 |
WSW |
247.5000 |
SW |
67 |
30 |
0 |
WSW
1/4 W |
250.3125 |
SW |
70 |
18 |
45 |
W
by S 3/4 S |
250.3125 |
SW |
70 |
18 |
45 |
WSW
1/2 W |
253.1250 |
SW |
73 |
7 |
30 |
W
by S 1/2 S |
253.1250 |
SW |
73 |
7 |
30 |
WSW
3/4 W |
255.9375 |
SW |
75 |
56 |
15 |
W
by S 1/4 S |
255.9375 |
SW |
75 |
56 |
15 |
W
by S |
258.7500 |
SW |
78 |
45 |
0 |
W
by 3/4 S |
261.5625 |
SW |
81 |
33 |
45 |
W
by 1/2 S |
264.3750 |
SW |
84 |
22 |
30 |
W
by 1/4 S |
267.1875 |
SW |
87 |
11 |
15 |
W |
270.0000 |
SW |
90 |
0 |
0 |
W
by 1/4 N |
272.8125 |
NW |
87 |
11 |
15 |
W
by 1/2 N |
275.6250 |
NW |
84 |
22 |
30 |
W
by 3/4 N |
278.4375 |
NW |
81 |
33 |
45 |
W
by N |
281.2500 |
NW |
78 |
45 |
0 |
W
by N 1/4 N |
284.0625 |
NW |
75 |
56 |
15 |
WNW
3/4 W |
284.0625 |
NW |
75 |
56 |
15 |
W
by N 1/2 N |
286.8750 |
NW |
73 |
7 |
30 |
WNW
1/2 W |
286.8750 |
NW |
73 |
7 |
30 |
W
by N 3/4 N |
289.6875 |
NW |
70 |
18 |
45 |
WNW
1/4 W |
289.6875 |
NW |
70 |
18 |
45 |
WNW |
292.5000 |
NW |
67 |
30 |
0 |
WNW
1/4 N |
295.3125 |
NW |
64 |
41 |
15 |
NW
by W 3/4 W |
295.3125 |
NW |
64 |
41 |
15 |
WNW
1/2 N |
298.1250 |
NW |
61 |
52 |
30 |
NW
by W 1/2 W |
298.1250 |
NW |
61 |
52 |
30 |
WNW
3/4 N |
300.9375 |
NW |
59 |
3 |
45 |
NW
by W 1/4 W |
300.9375 |
NW |
59 |
3 |
45 |
NW
by W |
303.7500 |
NW |
56 |
15 |
0 |
NW
by W 1/4 N |
306.5625 |
NW |
53 |
26 |
15 |
NW
by 3/4 W |
306.5625 |
NW |
53 |
26 |
15 |
NW
by W 1/2 N |
309.3750 |
NW |
50 |
37 |
30 |
NW
by 1/2 W |
309.3750 |
NW |
50 |
37 |
30 |
NW
by W 3/4 N |
312.1875 |
NW |
47 |
48 |
45 |
NW
by 1/4 W |
312.1875 |
NW |
47 |
48 |
45 |
NW |
315.0000 |
NW |
45 |
0 |
0 |
NW
by 1/4 N |
317.8125 |
NW |
42 |
11 |
15 |
NW
by N 3/4 W |
317.8125 |
NW |
42 |
11 |
15 |
NW
by 1/2 N |
320.6250 |
NW |
39 |
22 |
30 |
NW
by N 1/2 W |
320.6250 |
NW |
39 |
22 |
30 |
NW
by 3/4 N |
323.4375 |
NW |
36 |
33 |
45 |
NW
by N 1/4 W |
323.4375 |
NW |
36 |
33 |
45 |
NW
by N |
326.2500 |
NW |
33 |
45 |
0 |
NW
by N 1/4 N |
329.0625 |
NW |
30 |
56 |
15 |
NNW
3/4 W |
329.0625 |
NW |
30 |
56 |
15 |
NW
by N 1/2 N |
331.8750 |
NW |
28 |
7 |
30 |
NNW
1/2 W |
331.8750 |
NW |
28 |
7 |
30 |
NW
by N 3/4 N |
334.6875 |
NW |
25 |
18 |
45 |
NNW
1/4 W |
334.6875 |
NW |
25 |
18 |
45 |
NNW |
337.5000 |
NW |
22 |
30 |
0 |
NNW
1/4 N |
340.3125 |
NW |
19 |
41 |
15 |
N
by W 3/4 W |
340.3125 |
NW |
19 |
41 |
15 |
NNW
1/2 N |
343.1250 |
NW |
16 |
52 |
30 |
N
by W 1/2 W |
343.1250 |
NW |
16 |
52 |
30 |
NNW
3/4 N |
345.9375 |
NW |
14 |
3 |
45 |
N
by W 1/4 W |
345.9375 |
NW |
14 |
3 |
45 |
N
by W |
348.7500 |
NW |
11 |
15 |
0 |
N
by 3/4 W |
351.5625 |
NW |
8 |
26 |
15 |
N
3/4 W |
351.5625 |
NW |
8 |
26 |
15 |
N
by 1/2 W |
354.3750 |
NW |
5 |
37 |
30 |
N
1/2 W |
354.3750 |
NW |
5 |
37 |
30 |
N
by 1/4 W |
357.1875 |
NW |
2 |
48 |
45 |
N
1/4 W |
357.1875 |
NW |
2 |
48 |
45 |
N |
360.0000 |
NW |
0 |
0 |
0 |
TOP
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