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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