A Dorset village has made history as the three norths combine at a single point for the first time in history.

According to the Ordnance Survey (OS), Great Britain’s national mapping service, the historic triple alignment of true north, magnetic north and grid north made landfall at Langton Matravers, near Swanage, earlier this week.

It will stay converged for three and-a-half years as it slowly travels up the country.

Mark Greaves, earth measurement expert at Ordnance Survey, said: “It is no exaggeration to say that this is a one-off event that has never happened before. Magnetic north moves slowly so it is likely going to be several hundred years before this alignment comes around again.

“This triple alignment is an interesting quirk of our national mapping and the natural geophysical processes that drive the changing magnetic field.

“But for navigators the same rules will apply whether they are simply on a trek or a walk or flying planes or navigating ships at the other end of the spectrum. They will always have to take account of the variation between magnetic north from a compass and grid (or true) north on a map.

“Due to the unpredictability of the magnetic field on long timescales it’s not possible to say when the alignment of the three norths will happen again”

Grid north is the blue line on an OS map that points to the North Pole, whereas true north is the direction of the lines of longitude that all converge at the North Pole - true north varies from grid north as it reflects the curve of the earth,

Magnetic north marks the northward line to the magnetic North Pole.

Dr Susan Macmillan, of the British Geological Survey, said: “This is a once in a lifetime occurrence. Due to the unpredictability of the magnetic field on long timescales it’s not possible to say when the alignment of the three norths will happen again.”