Maps aren’t boring. Or, at least, they’re not boring enough for some people. The Royal Society for the Presevation of Boring Grid Squares is the largest organisation of individuals who dream of more boring maps, more blank grid squares, and a more featureless, relaxing world.
While some might scorn the Society’s goal (to create and preserve as many blank or uninteresting Ordnance Survey map grid squares as possible) it’s clearly a cause that has a great deal of support behind it. This support comes not least from the group’s patron, Prince Charles.
To find out more about the Society’s mission, we spoke to one of its committee members – a man who identified himself only as Steve.
How did the RSPBGS form? Was there a particular event that precipitated its founding, or was the creation of the Society prompted by more general circumstances?
It began with my exploration of Britain’s Boring Grid Squares.
Having carefully selected the most boring squares on my printed maps, I was shocked to discover, when checking on the OS’s website, that some of them had become distinctly interesting.
Was it difficult to arrive at a consensus on what constitutes a boring grid square? Are there ever internal disagreements about the boringness of a given square?
In one sense it’s straightforward, in that a Boring Grid Square needs to have the maximum blank space. However, the Society is roughly split into those who prefer a blank area towards the middle of the square (the so-called “centrists”), and those who like the blank to be nearer the edges (the “extremists”). At one stage the Society unfortunately broke into two factions along these lines, but common sense prevailed and the rift has now been healed. There is also an argument that the squares’ very boringness is in itself interesting, and therefore the entire Society is actually a self-contradiction; however we tend to steer clear of this topic at meetings.
On your website you mention pressuring the Ordnance Survey to make adjustments to their maps. How receptive has the OS been to your mission?
We have asked the OS to move text out of Boring Grid Squares, but they have so far been unreceptive. We are also running a petition to pressure the OS to move the entire National Grid slightly south-east to create Britain’s only completely blank Grid Square. The target of 100,000 signatures has not yet been achieved, but we are very much heading in the right direction with 34 signatures thus far.
Has anyone ever taken umbrage with the work of the Society?
Our work of felling established woodland and draining wetlands to create blank space on maps has met with opposition from so-called “environmental” groups. The Society’s position is that we have no objection to woodland or wetlands per se, but that they should be restricted to grid squares which already contain other features such as contours.
Can you tell us about your personal favourite grid square?
It’s generally accepted that SE8322 is Britain’s most boring Grid Square, with ND0449 a close second. A personal favourite is NH8283, which turns out to be a bombing range. The Society’s view is that all squares show potential – rivers can be re-routed, buildings can be demolished and hills excavated. Only geography stands between us and a Boring Grid Square paradise.
If you want to help the RSPBGS realise this paradise, visit their website. There you can apply to join the Society, and find out more about volunteering for their future campaigns.