Ilfracombe site history
History summary
| Station name | Ilfracombe |
|---|---|
| Country | UK |
| Latitude of measuring point | 51° 12' 39.5" N |
| Longitude of measuring point | 04° 06' 39.4" W |
| OS grid ref. of measuring point | SS 5265 4787 |
| Datum reference |
All data refer to Admiralty Chart Datum (ACD)
ACD = ODN -4.80m |
| Time reference | GMT (hours 00-23) |
| Contributor |
Environment Agency Anglian Regional Office,
Kingfisher House, Goldhay Way, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE2 5ZR |
| Instrument type |
1968 - Lea gauge installed.
1973 - Ott punch tape recorder installed. Lea gauge removed. 1983 - Ott recorder removed. 1983 - DATARING system installed with full tide pressure point and Wellhead unit. 1991 - Building removed after storm damage to the pier. 1991 - Building and DATARING system reinstalled. 1992 - Mid tide pressure point installed. |
| Site of measuring point | The measuring points are located on the East face of the new jetty. |
| Position of tide gauge building | SS 5255 4789 - Stone Tide Gauge building in pier car park |
| Observational period | 1968 - 2026 |
Benchmark descriptions
| Benchmark | OS grid ref. | Description | Height above ODN (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| TGBM | SS 5264 4786 | Bolt on new concrete pier | 1.016 |
| Aux1 | SS 5246 4783 | Cut mark Pier Hotel SW corner | 5.960 |
| Aux2 | SS 5251 4789 | Cut mark St. Nicholas Chapel, N face 6.1m from NW angle | 27.741 |
ODN = Ordnance Datum Newlyn
Parameters
Please Note: All parameters listed below are sea level measured in metres. Different parameter codes represent different gauges. For an explanation of the codes, please see the BODC parameter dictionary.
| Period | Parameters | Completeness index (%) | Sample interval |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | ASLVZZ01 | 92 | 60 minutes |
| 1969 | ASLVZZ01 | 98 | 60 minutes |
| 1970 | ASLVZZ01 | 98 | 60 minutes |
| 1971 | ASLVZZ01 | 22 | 60 minutes |
| 1977 | ASLVZZ01 | 41 | 60 minutes |
| 1978 | ASLVZZ01 | 70 | 60 minutes |
| 1979 | ASLVZZ01 | 36 | 60 minutes |
| 1980 | ASLVZZ01 | 29 | 60 minutes |
| 1981 | ASLVZZ01 | 69 | 60 minutes |
| 1982 | ASLVZZ01 | 30 | 60 minutes |
| 1983 | ASLVBG02 | 45 | 60 minutes |
| 1984 | ASLVBG02 | 76 | 60 minutes |
| 1985 | ASLVBG02 | 99 | 60 minutes |
| 1986 | ASLVBG02 | 89 | 60 minutes |
| 1987 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 60 minutes |
| 1988 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 60 minutes |
| 1989 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 60 minutes |
| 1990 | ASLVBG02 | 80 | 60 minutes |
| 1991 | ASLVBG02 | 48 | 60 minutes |
| 1992 | ASLVBG02 | 98 | 60 minutes |
| 1993 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 15 minutes |
| 1994 | ASLVBG02 | 98 | 15 minutes |
| 1995 | ASLVBG02 | 99 | 15 minutes |
| 1996 | ASLVBG02 | 96 | 15 minutes |
| 1997 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 15 minutes |
| 1998 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 15 minutes |
| 1999 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 15 minutes |
| 2000 | ASLVBG02 | 96 | 15 minutes |
| 2001 | n/a | No data outputted | n/a |
| 2002 | ASLVBG02 | 85 | 15 minutes |
| 2003 | ASLVBG02 | 99 | 15 minutes |
| 2004 | ASLVBG02 | 99 | 15 minutes |
| 2005 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 15 minutes |
| 2006 | ASLVBG02 | 92 | 15 minutes |
| 2007 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 15 minutes |
| 2008 | ASLVBG02 | 99 | 15 minutes |
| 2009 | ASLVBG02 | 93 | 15 minutes |
| 2010 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 15 minutes |
| 2011 | ASLVBG02 | 99 | 15 minutes |
| 2012 | ASLVBG02 | 99 | 15 minutes |
| 2013 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 15 minutes |
| 2014 | ASLVBG02 | 99 | 15 minutes |
| 2015 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 15 minutes |
| 2016 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 15 minutes |
| 2017 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 15 minutes |
| 2018 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 15 minutes |
| 2019 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 15 minutes |
| 2020 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 15 minutes |
| 2021 | ASLVBG02 | 100 | 15 minutes |
| 2022 | ASLVBG02 | 99 | 15 minutes |
| 2023 | ASLVBG02 | 99 | 15 minutes |
| 2024 | ASLVBG02 | January - December | 15 minutes |
| 2025 | ASLVBG02 | January - December | 15 minutes |
| 2026 | ASLVBG02 | January - May | 15 minutes |
Quality assessment
All data have been compared with the current Harmonic Constants library, and residuals checked. Records have been visually inspected for spikes, datum shifts and timing errors.
Where there are problems with the primary channel, data may be available from the backup channel. Please contact enquiries@bodc.ac.uk for more information.
1993 - The processing of the 1993 file has left a null value at the start of the file (00:00 hours 01/01/1993). This is due to the sampling interval changing from 60 to 15 minutes and the first
data point being too far from 00:00 to interpolate.
During 2001 and 2002 (to August) there was a temporary gauge installed at Ilfracombe, with only half-tide data being produced, which in 2002 has been flagged as suspect. A new gauge was
fitted, with three channels on 09/09/02.
February 2003 - File output has been altered so that all values fall on the quarter hour and gaps are filled in with null values, marked with an 'N' flag.
March 2003 - Residuals (observed minus predicted sea level values, measured in metres) now included in the file output.
On 11/10/2011 a new data logger was installed. Tests were carried out to ensure the logger was functioning correctly, resulting in some data being lost.
November 2012 - The file output has been altered to reflect the Contributor name change from Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory to National Oceanography Centre, Liverpool. Also, the Parameter
code has been improved and now uses a controlled vocabulary.
20 March 2025 - Possible datum shift applied to ASLVBG02.
Missing and suspect data have been reported on the following day numbers:-
| Period | Parameter | Missing data | Suspect data |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | ASLVZZ01 | 001-030,037 | 033-040,058-072,084-103,126-133,159-172,185-195,207-211,214-231,237-272,285-303,305-318,324-344,357-363 |
| 1969 | ASLVZZ01 | 004-005,026,286-287,329-330 | 023-025,042-070,076-095,116-124 |
| 1970 | ASLVZZ01 | 057,099,348-355 | 094-096,105-112,134-146,153-160,181-189,210-219,228-233,258-261,276-278 |
| 1971 | ASLVZZ01 | 004-005,035-068,099-113,128-365 | 001-018,086-089 |
| 1977 | ASLVZZ01 | 001-214 | 239-247,266-277,282-304,328-365 |
| 1978 | ASLVZZ01 | 005-116 | 001-005,152-153,272-275,333-349,362-365 |
| 1979 | ASLVZZ01 | 010-159,282-365 | 001-010,159-227,247-282 |
| 1980 | ASLVZZ01 | 001-261 | 261-366 |
| 1981 | ASLVZZ01 | 057-062,111-204,287,351-365 | 001-042,062-111,204-267,287-351 |
| 1982 | ASLVZZ01 | 001-007,117-365 | 007-015,020-117 |
| 1983 | ASLVBG02 | 001-167,173-175,182-192,199-200,203,206-207,217-221,234-235,244,246-247,251,263-264,271-278,294-296,300-304,311,315-319 | None |
| 1984 | ASLVBG02 | 011-081,094-095,205-220 | None |
| 1985 | ASLVBG02 | 001-002,245-246 | None |
| 1986 | ASLVBG02 | 063-064,120-151,175,190,264-270 | None |
| 1987 | ASLVBG02 | None | None |
| 1988 | ASLVBG02 | None | None |
| 1989 | ASLVBG02 | None | None |
| 1990 | ASLVBG02 | 030-096,185-190 | None |
| 1991 | ASLVBG02 | 049-052, 070-259 | 067-069 (timing error) |
| 1992 | ASLVBG02 | 160-164, 209, 265-269, 334-335 | None |
| 1993 | ASLVBG02 | None | None |
| 1994 | ASLVBG02 | 053-056,283-286 | None |
| 1995 | ASLVBG02 | 143-145 | 053-054,056-058,299-300 |
| 1996 | ASLVBG02 | 212,249-260,260-262 338-339 | 053,198-205,206-214,247 310-316 |
| 1997 | ASLVBG02 | None | 042-192 |
| 1998 | ASLVBG02 | None | 001-006,093-095,099-102,105 106-108,111-112,112,113,115 116,117,300-304,305-307,308 309-310,312,313-317,318, 320-323,329-331,332-334, 342-350,351-353,356-365 |
| 1999 | ASLVBG02 | None | 001-027,028,033,034,035,036,037,038,039,040,047,048,050,052-053,056,058-060,061-065,102-103,104-105,111-113,116,131,133,137-138,156,207,220 227,230,235,236,239,246,252,254,256,260-261,262-263,269 270,272-313,315,316,317,320-321,322-323,328-365 |
| 2000 | ASLVBG02 | 263-271,284-286,291-294 | 001-074,084-088,093-179,183-262,272-284,286-291, 294-366 |
| 2002 | ASLVBG02 | 036-050,130-170,252 | 001-036,050-130,170-252,282,286,288,293,299,307-308,310-311,335-336,343-345,353 |
| 2003 | ASLVBG02 | 114,310 | 007,020-021,029-031,050-051,109-110,244-249,259-265,266-278,284-286,289-290,293-304,340-341 |
| 2004 | ASLVBG02 | 231 | 081-082,187-190 |
| 2005 | ASLVBG02 | None | 008,011-012,022-023,041,044-045,070-071,098 |
| 2006 | ASLVBG02 | 032-036,065,069-074,116-118,214-219,228-231,236-243,249,319-321 | 015-016,028-029,048,057-061,076-078,109,151-162,167-169,177-189,197-203,205-212,219-221,279-280,337-342 |
| 2007 | ASLVBG02 | None | 018,020-023,077-079,269-270,343 |
| 2008 | ASLVBG02 | 364-365 | 070-072,082,108-109,147,304,363 |
| 2009 | ASLVBG02 | 147-151,154-155,182-196,210,315-319 | 012-013,025-026,032,041,132,308-309,351-352,363-365 |
| 2010 | ASLVBG02 | None | 006-007,089-091,313,325-328,349 |
| 2011 | ASLVBG02 | 278-283 | 035-036,046-048,051-052,211,256,283-284,291,292,303,308,309,312,322,331,347,349 |
| 2012 | ASLVBG02 | 031 | 068,085-086,095-096,120 |
| 2013 | ASLVBG02 | None | 012,027-029,038,042-043,069-071,083,306-308,325,365 |
| 2014 | ASLVBG02 | 234 | 001,003-004,006,043-044,060,062-063,312,344-345 |
| 2015 | ASLVBG02 | None | 050-052,054-055,057,086,167-253,270-274,295,299-304,314-320,325,328-334,336-343,357-361,364 |
| 2016 | ASLVBG02 | None | 006-010,012-015,023-030,032-033,037-043,048-075,083-138,146-278,281-284,286-288,290-291,293-307,310-312,314-346,348-366 |
| 2017 | ASLVBG02 | None | 001-010,013,018-027,032-130 |
| 2018 | ASLVBG02 | None | 003,017,032-033,035,059-064,076-078,095-105,107,238,240-244,248-249,268,271-272,277-278,280,300-302,330,342-343 |
| 2019 | ASLVBG02 | None | 027,051,053,077,079-083,096-097,108-112,193-201,212-217,228-229,242-246,271-275,300-304,317-318,320,328-334,343-348,360 |
| 2020 | ASLVBG02 | None | 012-016,025-027,040,043-045,054-059,068-071,073-074,083-087,097-104,114,126-132,142-147,154-162,172-178,184-191,202-207,215-222,231-237,260-265,276,286,289-295,305-306,318-323,348-353,358 |
| 2021 | ASLVBG02 | None | 013-016,029-034,040-047,057-064,071-076,086-092,099-105,115-121,129-134,140,144-150,160-164,173-179,191-195,203-209,220-226,232-239,244,248-256,261-269,277-284,290-298,306-313,321-326,331,336-341,343,352-358,365 |
| 2022 | ASLVBG02 | 321 | 001-009,015-024,030-038,046-054,058-067,075-081,310-311,325-329,332-333,351 |
| 2023 | ASLVBG02 | 248,252,266 | 052-054,067-069,080-084,108-118,120-146,149-176,180-206,211-218,243-248,259-260,262,270-278,283-308,312,314-322,326-338,344-353,359-361,363-364 |
| 2024 | ASLVBG02 | None | 001-002,011-018,025,027-029,031,038-048,052-254,258-269,272-356,358-366 |
| 2025 | ASLVBG02 | 032,298 | 001-032,032-059-079,088-091,116-121,183-185,189-195,197-201,203-206,209-214,216-217,219-233,235-273,280-286,290-292,295-296,305-328,330-334,339-340 |
| 2026 | ASLVBG02 | 090,096,098-099,106 | 033-037,040-045,051,060-080,082-090,090-096,096-098,099-106,106-151 |
