The Milestone Society On the Ground

Worcestershire group member Neville Billington’s delightful picture of his grandson studying one of the newly plated milestones on the A443

No. 2 September 2005

Single Edition Editor. Terry Keegan

SINGLE EDITION EDITOR TERRY KEEGAN ON THE GROUND

A REVIEW OF THE 12 MONTHS TO JUNE 2005

INTRODUCTION spreading the aims of the Society through around 450 members we can be proud media contact, talks to outside bodies, of what has been achieved . The road so This, the second issue of 'ON THE distribution of Society literature to librar- far has been a rocky one with plenty of GROUND', whilst continuing Mervyn ies, etc.; dead ends, especially in our efforts to Benford's original message in the first persuade many Highway Authorities issue to non-active members that ...'we d) progress towards the group making that the milestones are worth saving as want them to see that we put their sub- contact with it's own county members an important part of our national road- scriptions to good use, to fulfill as best through meetings, joint projects and a local side heritage. Reports have been com- we can our stated aims and objec- group newsletter. ing of changing attitudes towards the tives' ..,., this one has a slightly different By having an annual survey of the activi- preservation of the milestones. A recent slant to it. ties of each of the County groups we Advisory Leaflet sent out by the Dept. Its main purpose is to review the achieve- should be able to chart the progress of the of Transport to all Local Councils high- ments of the County Groups which have Society towards its ultimate aims of re- lights the importance of preserving im- been actively pursuing the Society's aims cording and conserving the surviving mile- portant items of roadside heritage- in- over the twelve months since the last stones which are such an important part of cluding milestones. Details of the Mile- issue of ON THE GROUND. It is also our roadside heritage. stone Society are given amongst other designed to highlight the problems which Also, by making this report of progress august bodies such as English Heritage, they faced ;- problems such as lack of co- towards our ultimate objectives available Campaign to Protect Rural England, operation from Highway officials, theft, to all involved in the protection of our Countryside Agency and others as a damage to stones by verge cutters and roadside heritage, it is hoped that it will source for farther contacts. Amongst the wayward traffic. open the eyes of those who have been list for 'further reading' is Mervyn Ben- Each County coordinator was sent a dragging their feet and finding excuses for ford's book, Milestones. request for information on progress made putting off their responsibilities—in par- Much of the credit for this change in over the past 12 months towards- ticular, some of the County Highway Au- attitude must be as a result of the great thorities. a) recording the county's milestones for efforts put into, not only the physical the Society's important national database; Not every County Coordinator has been in hard work of renovating milestones by a position to send in a report to this issue some members, but also the way many b) progress towards restoration, repaint so there will be some gaps in the informa- members have been spreading the case ing and replacing damaged or missing tion on what has been achieved over the for preservation through the media. milestones by not only the group's mem ? past twelve months. Outstanding in this area was Jan bers, but also by other agencies such as Scrine's talk on Women's Hour - so THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT County Highways, Parish Councils, Civic good that it was repeated at a later date. Societies, and any other local groups or We have come a long way since forming The light at the end of the tunnel is get- individuals. the Milestone Society in 2001. With ting brighter all the time. c) how successful the group have been in

BUILDING UP THE DATABASE RECORDS OF THE NATION'S SURVIVING MILESTONES

One of the first tasks which Conservation Officers, keepers of this year 65% of the esti- the Milestone Society set itself of National Monument Re- mated 7000+ surviving Eng- was to list all the surviving cords and any other official lish milestones featured on the milestones on a database bodies seeking information on Master Database. which would be of use not the position and condition of The collection of information only to the Society's members, the nations milestones. has not been uniform over the but also to such organizations Anew addition to the database Most county groups were whole country, with only from Worcestershire as English Heritage, County quick off the mark sending in patchy details coming from Highways Authorities, County their records so, that by June most Scottish counties and Page 2 ON THE GROUND

of hidden milestones. The Worcester DATABASE RECORDS (cont.) Group recently were able to locate a milestone deep in a hedge and which many of those in Wales. This problem prone in overgrown vegetation. was not marked on the OS map, after a arises from the lack of members within local pensioner remembered it from his Also in Devon, whilst reporting the loss of those parts of the Kingdom. In the childhood. a milestone outside Chudleigh, 9 miles whole of Scotland we only have six from Exeter, to the local Police, the 10 A few of those stones buried in response members and not many more residing mile marker was discovered deep in a to the Government directive to remove in Wales. hedge outside the Police Station. all milestones in 1940, are still being Even so, because we are able to use unearthed. The old county of Berkshire reported two information gathered by enthusiasts milestone stragglers turning up in people's Perhaps the most fertile source of lost other than Society members and infor- gardens. One was reported by a local con- milestones may turn out to be people's mation gathered by members holiday- tact and the other resulting from the pic- gardens. Many of these are stones re- ing in these areas ,a good deal of data is ture appearing in Homes & Gardens, placed by newer ones by the Turnpike available for inclusion on our database, Trusts a long time ago but a number turn A good example of this is the amount of In Essex, after persistent searching, Brian out to be from a known series of current information available on the milestones Barrow eventually located the 'LONDON stones. of Fife where 100% of the surviving 38' stone hidden in overgrown ivy. The In Norfolk a few have been tracked milestones have been recorded stone is set into a flint wall on the east side of the B1383 (former A11) just south of down in gardens and the Norfolk Group Those counties which have almost the junction with the B1052. feel that it is safer to leave them where achieved their target of 100% surveys they are and details of the Society given of known milestones include Berkshire, 'Never give up hope when searching for to the householders to let them know Buckinghamshire, Cambridge, Chesh- that elusive stone', writes John Nicholls, that they have something of historic ire, Derbyshire, Dorset, Oxfordshire, the Essex coordinator. A stone was located significance. Staffordshire, Surrey, Warwickshire in a dry ditch in Aveley Road, Corbets The Staffordshire Group are hoping to and, most impressive of all, Yorkshire Tey. Enquiries revealed that it had proved recover two milestones spotted by one which has recorded almost 1200 mile- too heavy to lift out so it was erected in the member of the Group in a garden in the stones on the Society's database. bottom of the ditch some years previously. town. One of these is a local mile post A number of counties have records of Dorset reported two new finds but unfor- but the other turned out to be a 'listed' most of their milestones but not in a tunately both badly damaged. However stone from Cornwall which disappeared form which can be transferred to the both have been added to the records. ten years ago during road works. The database. Over the next year or so it is In Shropshire a milepost from the A458 Group are on to the case. They have hoped that these records can be made Shrewsbury to Much Wenlock road has also recovered a milepost from a site compatible with the Society's own re- been recovered by the intervention of a selling architectural building material cords. combined Shropshire County Council, and very recently reported another mile- It is important that we keep the records Police and Milestone Society team follow- post up the driveway of local house. up to date especially as a number of ing its appearance on eBay. The milepost There is a problem persuading some- official bodies are beginning to use the disappeared 40 years ago and is to be times quite legitimate owners to part information which we have put on to re-erected by Shropshire Highways. with their treasures, but the Group are the database to locate the milestones becoming experts at this. within their areas. Somerset reports the finding of three It would be a good idea if the county milestones which had not been located in groups revised their records at least the past including one not on a known every two years. turnpike road which gives the distance to the G. Western R Station, 1 mile. UNCOVERING 'LOST' MILE- STONES In Yorkshire Frank and Christine Minto continue to add previously unknown All the time we are uncovering mile- stones to the huge list of Yorkshire stones which were believed to have stones, including one used as a gatepost been lost, many not even appearing on near Thurscross reservoir the Ordnance Survey maps. Most of these have emerged from the depths of One can but wonder just how many hedges, hidden by overgrown bushes milestones have yet to be discovered and a liberal covering of ivy. hidden in the most unusual places — perhaps even hundreds. Members In Devon an old limestone marker on report great satisfaction whenever they the old A3 8 near Bickington showing find a milestone previously believe to 'IV miles to Ashburton' was recently The Salop milepost awaiting re-erecting. have been lost. The hunt goes on. resurrected. It had eluded successive Talking to the locals can unearth the sites surveys in the area because it was lying ON THE GROUND Page 3

IMPROVING CONTACTS WITH HIGHWAY AUTHORITIES

As the Highway Authorities are the Rosevear found out to his cost officials hoped they would be able to rectify. This legal owners of the stones it is im- within the same council do not always led to one of the Area Surveyors making perative that we have a good rela- talk to each other. Alan stresses the im- contact and advising him to pass on any tionship with each one if we are to portance of having local contacts, 'Local milestone queries to him and he would achieve our aim of preserving the means District level at the most and Par- see that they were passed on to the ap- surviving milestones and in particu- ish level preferably'. propriate Area Surveyor. Says Ian, 'He was as good as his word'. lar if we wish to be actively in- In Worcestershire Terry Keegan has an volved in the work of preservation. excellent relationship with one of the John Tybjerg reports very good contacts In order to meet the requirements of District Highways Managers with whom with Highways officials resulting in lots many Local Authorities the Society he has regular meetings. Any proposals of conservation work on the milestones upped its Public Liability insurance for work to be carried on outside that John Donovan has good relations with to £5 million. Even so some authori- District is passed on at to the other Dis- all the local Hertfordshire Highways ties are reluctant to allow anyone trict Highways Managers at their regular groups- ... 'but when I venture into outer but their own staff do any work on meetings. However it is at parish level Herts I end up with Environmental peo- the stones. Attitudes differ from one that the Worcestershire Group have had ple (with no clout)' Authority to another- from the 'OK most success. There is a scheme for par- get on and do it' ,to 'Yes , but here ishes to 'adopt' the milestones within Other Groups report improvements in are the rules', to 'Don't touch under their borders and the Group feel that this their contacts with Highways officials. any circumstances'. is the best way forward. An emerging need is to make contact A note of caution here. No matter Ian Thompson, in Cornwall used a sub- with the regional contractors to the High- how close a relation you may have tle approach when contacting the County ways Agency as in many cases they now with officials in one department in Council by firstly praising them for ensu- have a responsibility for the milestones an area, make sure the correct peo- ing that so many fine milestones had on the roads they manage for the ple know of your plans if you intend survived into the 21st century and then Agency. Both Dorset and Worcestershire working on the stones. As Alan listing a few minor problems which he report success in this area.

CONSERVATION WORK ON THE MILESTONES

The current examples of con- county. The same contractor is the by-pass was built was fol- servation work being done on surveying the milestones on lowed by a suggestion that the milestones can be divided the A49 Ross to Shrewsbury they made new ones, using an into five sources - road with a programme of old cast iron one as a pattern. conservation in mind. Ian agreed that this would be 1 Highways Agency John Tybjerg reports having an excellent idea. 2 County Highway Authorities had a successful contact with COUNTY HIGHWAY AU- 3 Parish Councils the local Highways Agency THORITIES contractor resulting in the 4 Milestone Society members renovation of 4 milestones. Up till a few years ago most 5 Members of Civic and other County Highway Authorities Ian Thompson has had a good Societies showed a complete lack of result from contact with the interest in the preservation of 6 Private individuals. Highways Agency office in milestones but County Coordi- HIGHWAYS AGENCY Exeter. He reported to the nators are reporting a more Cornwall County Council that positive attitude towards their Although the Highways the mileposts on the A38 conservation over the past Agency has done some good Liskeard by-pass were in dire year. This improvement in the work on preserving milestones need of attention. As the A38 in the past, they seem to have way they see what is part of is a trunk road the report was their roadside heritage could A523 stepped up this type of opera- passed on to Exeter and the tion. be as a result not only of Gov- Agency responded saying that ernment directives and the A 'bobbin' milepost Worcestershire report that the they would arrange for the work of English Heritage, but local contractor Amey, have a maintenance contractor to also as a result of pressure budget for a heritage improve- undertake the necessary refur- from members of the Mile- ment programme which in- bishment. A further call to Ian stone Society especially where cludes renovation of all the about the poor quality posts media coverage of renovation existing milestones on the two which had replaced the origi- projects has been obtained. If trunk roads through the nal cast iron ones, lost when we keep up the pressure we Page 4

CONSERVATION nally. From Scotland Nigel Bishop sends this example. Ten years ago Stirling District will win the battle for milestone conser- Council refurbished a series of mileposts vation. which had 'fallen into disrepair' They form a loop between Stirling, Doune, Callander, John Tybjerg reports from Dorset that Aberfoyle and back to Stirling in a very the last year has been their most popular tourist area. Sadly, since then they success-fill to date with 33 milestones have had no maintenance and the optimistic being refurbished, the majority by Dorset comment in the news report of the time was, County Council and work on four more 'I don't think they'll fall into disrepair again'. recently reported. Outside the Town They have. and Borough Councils Dorset Highways are divided into four area THE WORK OF PARISH COUNCILS organizations, North, South, East and Most milestones are of a parochial nature and West The East area was responsible for The re-located stone at Blakedown- it is only right that Parish Councils should the repainting of 22 of the above total. Providing information to Highway Depts take an interest in their survival. Most par- DCC(N) moved a cast iron milepost on stones needing attention too often ishes take a keen interest in their local heri- near Shaftesbury to a safer position on a fails to bring results. The Norfolk Group tage and milestones come under that heading. wide grass verge. provided their Highway Dept. with a list In Worcestershire there is a scheme where of stones needing attention (mostly parishes are encouraged to 'adopt' the mile- fallen) last November but have seen little stones within their boundaries and to main- progress. tain them. Only a few parishes have joined Chris Woodard reports that Ceredigion the scheme so far, but those that have, have repaint their milestones every two or restored eight milestones in the past year. three years. Most of the stones on the There is also a lengthsman scheme where coast road between Cardigan and Aber- parishes can employ a man for so many hours ystwyth have been refurbished this year a week to, amongst other things, keep road by the Council. signs (including milestones) clean and clear of vegetation. This is a helpful step towards Powys CC., through the good offices of making the milestones visible to the operators the Highways Dept. have reinstated a of the verge-cutting machines. milestone on the Whitton-Monaughty rd. The re-sited Shaftesbury milepost 'It is not in its original place but it is When the Worcestershire Group planned to They also repaired, reset and repainted a back and is in good condition', reports replace the nine missing plates from the mile- badly broken milestone near Blanford Sadie Cole, the county coordinator. Sadie stones on theA443 from Worcester to Great and. DCC(W) stood a fallen milestone hopes to build on this good relationship Witley, it was to the parishes along the route upright just south of Dorchester and encourage the preservation of other that they turned to make the project a local items of roadside heritage. community one. Each of the five parishes 'Earlier this year', reports John Donovan involved agreed to pay for the new plates and from Hertfordshire, 'a chap from North of the border ,Fife Highways con- to arrange for them to be fixed to the stones. Hatfield Highways organized the paint- tinue to show up the other Highway Au- They now take a pride in the milestones they ing of a few of his metal mile posts and thorities by their continued care for their were responsible for renovating. The Group was reprimanded by the local BEAMS (a milestones. Most of the stones have are planning a similar project involving an- Herts County organization set up to metal caps displaying the mileage infor- other eleven milestone. advise on listed buildings, etc.) because mation, but even those which have lost Herefordshire also have a parish lengthsman some of them were listed and he hadn't their caps in the past are given a regular scheme and in Leintwardine the lengthsman checked with them first. coat of white paint. When missing caps do turn up they are reinstated on to the has painted up all the milestones as well as Devon County Council were responsible original stones. To help keep the stones keeping them clear of vegetation for the salvation and subsequent visible during the growing season a cur- A similar scheme is in operation in Shrop- erection of a milestone that had been the tain of stone sets is being laid around the shire. In the leaflet produced to explain the victim of a road traffic accident. The stones whenever finances allow. scheme they list the 'Type of work involved' sturdy marker, which is on a route from and this includes- 'Carry out periodic paint- Totnes to Chudleigh in South Devon at Elsewhere in Scotland maintenance of ing of... and possibly milestones'. Alan Rixy Park Corner, was reinstated at the the milestones is sporadic. Many of the Reade, the Shropshire coordinator is in die roadside onto a concrete base. mileposts on the roads into Dunoon have process of sending each parish a list of the Worcestershire Highways re-erected a recently received a coat of paint Also, milestones within their boundaries. milestone knocked over by a traffic acci- milestones and stone waymarkers on the dent on the Powick to Upton road and A76 between New Cumnock and Kilmar- Carol Haines, the Norfolk coordinator, finds were also responsible for relocating a nock have been renovated recently. that writing to Parish Councils about mile- milestone in the village of Blakedown on Unfortunately enthusiastic schemes to stones requiring restoration seldom elicits a the A456. The local Group have pro- refurbish a series of milestones too often reply, but a letter to Heckingharn PC about vided the Highways with a list of stones lack any plans for subsequent mainte- their MP which had been lying under a hedge which have fallen over and need re- nance and in a few years time they are in for years brought a reply to say that the post erecting and Highways have promised just as sorry a state as they were origi- had been raised and repainted and 'looked action when work schedules permit. Page 5 Conservation (cont) From chipping off the old paint down to the Kingswear. The plate, which is fixed low bare metal it took seven further visits by down in a wall at a point known as the David to complete the preservation process. 'Banjo' in the town, had been neglected for splendid' David is hopeful of winning the contract to many years and as a consequence had complete the renovation of the remaining rusted badly. The intervention of Torbay posts. Borough Council was well received in re- sponse to local concerns The West Gloucestershire Group intend writ- ing to every Parish Council who have surviv- CONSERVATION WORK BY MILE- ing milestones in their area making them STONE SOCIETY MEMBERS. aware of their milestones, and of the possible help available to restore them. Perhaps this Amazingly, there is as much conserva- is a route other Groups should be pursuing tion work being done on the milestones by enthusiastic members of the Society In Dorset, Shaftesbury Town Council set to and painted a cast iron milepost which the as there is by all the Highway Authori- County Highways had moved from a danger- ties put together, A few of those in- ous situation close to the road to a wide grass volved have contracted to do the work verge. The Council also painted up one of a with the Council's approval. Most pro- similar style in the middle of the town. It is lific of all has been John Higgins, the interesting that whilst the latter post uses coordinator for Staffordshire who has, the more modern term Shaftesbury, the other over the past two years repainted uses the old name Shaston. nearly 120 mileposts in the Staffs Moorland area and East Staffs. The basis on which he works in with the local councils is that they pay for all the materials and he does the work of rubbing down the mileposts, giving Restored milepost on the B1136 at them a coat of Hammerite white paint Heckingham in Norfolk (TM 387971) and then picking out the letters and In West Gloucestershire, Redmarley Parish numbers in black Hammerite. John is Council decided to refurbish two local also always on the lookout for damaged milestones on the A417. The District Coun- posts and those hidden away in peo- cil insisted that planning permission was ple's, gardens. Another member of the required and the cost rose to approximately Staffs team, David Wright is currently £535 per stone. The Parish Council did negotiating with the city of however receive good cooperation from the Stoke-on-Trent to do a similar job on County Highways Dept. and the District Council gave a grant to cover two thirds of 17 mileposts and 2 finger posts. the cost. David McDougal, a Society mem- Another prolific restorer of milestones ber and a trained conservation officer, un- is Alan Rosevear, who created and dertook the restoration of the first mile- maintains the Society's database of the stone. nation's milestones. One of the mile posts newly painted by Alan wrote a long report of his work Shaftesbury Town Council on restoration in the old county of Devon report a most positive response from Berkshire and adjoining areas and it is Ilsington Parish Council on the edge of Dart- worth recording it here as it covers moor to include photographs and short de- many of the problems he had to sur- scriptions on the unique cluster of six granite guide stones within their boundaries, on their mount before he could even start on Parish website the work of conservation. Alan starts his report by explaining that clearing vegetation has been the most im- portant factor in halting damage to the stones since they have become more visible and people more aware of their presence. However, full restoration has the greatest impact and generates more interest. Each Local Authority has responded differ- ently to the challenge. In The Vale of White Horse, the District Planning and Conserva- tion departments have been proactive, help- ful and generous with grants. However they Two of the Ilsington stones sketched by stick to the tightest interpretation of the Tim Jenkinson rules and have required a full planning The refurbished mile post at Redmar- Also from Devon comes the news of an im- application for each of the stones (5 forms ley showing the quality of David portant repaint of a cast iron mile plate in each). However, getting this approval has McDougal's work. simplified getting £400 in grants so far, Page 6

restore their 2 milestones. A month CONSERVATION WORK by members (cont) ago a letter arrived from the Parish Council, with approval from West with another £100 potentially. This is file. The approval was only forthcom- Berks Conservation and local high- Alan's home District so he gets access ing after Alan e-mailed to say he was ways to tackle these stones. The sig- to local Heritage and Environmental pulling out of work on Oxfordshire nificance of this to Alan is that two Trust Grants for materials. These are roads after the Safety Officer insisted years ago he had offered to re-erect payable in retrospect against invoices that he did a 3 day competency course and restore a stone near Hungerford for paint, tools, etc. The success here (costing £200 a day). The senior engi- but his offer was turned down by West has also been dependent on individu- neer had the authority to say—come Berkshire's conservation officer — the als who are sympathetic to the need on lets get on with the easy ones, Council would do it (properly) - but for improved roadside environment. whereas the more junior staff, hard they never did! At Beedon there is no pressed by other problems were stick- indication of how to pay for materials, ing to the cautious interpretation of but Alan had previously advised on the rules. So now six more stones have costs. Importantly, Highways wanted been done and two more are ready to start. Alan found the attitude in Kennet District quite different. He gained credibility by recovering and restoring at home a snapped-off stone. This time he told the District and Highways what he was doing. When the restora- tion was complete he sent a fully illus- trated report to both Authorities, who expressed their thanks. A nearby property owner offered to look after it. Wilts Highways then got a request from the nearby parish of Aldbourne asking to have their milestones simi- Alan Rosevear complete with larly treated. The Highways manager safety gear, clearing the vegeta- saw the Society as a good way of ful- tion from around the Jude stone filling his responsibilities and con- which he has recently restored. tacted Alan. After some discussion A recent 'simple straighten, clean, The Vale story also illustrates how over how to buy new material, he paint and letter job' by Alan crucial it is to keep everyone informed. found a slot in his maintenance to see the £5M insurance certificate Alan had restored four stones in early budget. Alan went ahead and restored and risk assessment, Then all he had 2003, learning as he went. The second the 4 stones. The Parish provided the -to do was to fill in the form to tell grant appeared with planning permis- support to arrange for one of the them the date of planned work. sion in Spring 2004 from District stones to be raised three feet to its Planning and Heritage departments. proper level. These 4 stones will be Another case of advice maturing is at Six of the planned 15 stones had been well kept by the parish given that they Wokingham. After Alan had given a restored when he got a call from the have been involved and taken owner- talk to the Historical Society on turn- Southern District of Oxfordshire High- ship of the project. News spreads and pikes a local 'activist' was inspired to ways telling him that he needed per- the neighbouring parish of Liddington replace the missing stone east of the mission from them to work on the now want their stones restoring. This town. He is a carpenter and made a highway. He had assumed that Local has created a new challenge for Alan wooden template of the surviving Authority departments communicated as the village is in a different District. stone in Wokingham. He used this to cast a concrete core with a cement on these matters. He immediately Alan has a great affection for the cover, which he carved. Once painted provided the work schedule, method area's impressive Bath road mile- it looked a perfect match and fills a statement, risk assessment etc. It has stones so he put together a package to gap in a series on a road across Win- taken him just over a year to jump all use the Kennet material on a few de- dsor Forest. Being a local resident, the hurdles. It happens that Oxon are serving eases. As a result two of the Trevor had good contacts and support going through a step change in their 18th century milestones above Marl- from the town council and local high- approach to roadside safety and Alan borough are now back in a readable ways. This should mean a continuity was treated like any other contractor. state and a direction stone close by of care (and perhaps more restoration and two stones near Avebury are re- The result is a much more robust risk of original stones). assessment. Work is now restricted to stored. A plan to do three more has locations well back from the road edge, just been approved by Highways and In Bucks Norman Tippin has been the 'men at work' sign needs deploying Conservation. able to act locally, canvassing Milton with cones, the COSSH assessments Keynes directly over milestones at Some projects take a while to mature. risk and because he is very local, being complete, the work schedule lodged for Almost 3 years ago Alan advised a taken seriously. when and where the work will be done Parish councilor at Beedon on how to and the <£5M liability insurance on Page 7 accident , should be re-sited further up the road in a safer position. The engi- CONSERVATION WORK by MEMBERS neer refused so the stone lay where it was until some time later, after a Yorkshire is our largest county and the York- by the Highways Dept.), an anti-corrosion change of personnel brought a more shire Group is not only the largest but also one solution then a coat of primer followed by tolerant view of the problem and almost of the most active. There are over 1200 known an undercoat before a final topcoat. Then the next day the stone was planted in milestones, mileposts and waymarkers within comes the time consuming task of painting the position originally suggested by the borders of the county so the task of conser- all the letters and numbers. At this point Brian. vation is a mammoth one. Nonetheless, if the Brian often enlists the help of a tolerant Also on Brian's list of restorations are members of the Group tackle the problem with wife to do the fine work on the lettering numerous parish boundary markers and a quarter of the enthusiasm with which they as, 'she has a steady hand'. Nearly all of a couple of finger posts. Brian says that tackled the surveying of the milestones for the the cast iron was produced at the Sturgess the motivation for spending so much of Society database, then they should begin to Foundry and occasionally the foundry his time in retirement on doing up the make inroads into the mountain of conserva- attached a small plate direct to the stone stones is the satisfaction of seeing them tion work that is needed on the milestones. with their name on. in their bright new coats of paint. His Two of their members have already accounted efforts were recognized recently when a for nearly 100 repaint jobs. Brian Bradley-Smith is another prolific restorer and painter of milestones in York- local councilor put his name forward for Brian Ellis gets great satisfaction from paint- shire. To date he has painted at least 53 a civic award to thank him for his ser- ing up milestones. Being retired he spends a milestones, concentrating his efforts in the vices to the community. lot of his time out in the open working on the Harrogate area where he has a very good Member David Whitlock runs a busi- stones. He has developed a very close relation- relationship with the local highways de- ness Cleveland Corrosion Control and ship with his local highways department and partment. They furnished him with a set we wrote about the work done by his they provide him with the materials to reno- of rules saying what he was allowed to do company to the mileposts on the Guis- vate the stones. Most of the Yorkshire mile- and what was to be left to the Council. In borough to Whitby road in the first issue stones are faced with a cast iron front shaped of ON THE GROUND, David has since to the stone backing. Brian is a great cyclist won a contract to similarly treat a num- ber of other mileposts in the North York Moors National Park. These include all of the posts on the A170 Pickering to Scarborough road, several of the posts on the A169 Pickering to Whitby road, ten posts on the A170 between Helmsley and Thirsk, one or two on the A174 coast road between Loftus and Whitby, two on the B1257 Helmsley to Stokesley road and a few small ones on back roads in the Whitby area. This now means that all the mileposts in the Brian Bradley-Smith, sporting his North York Moors National Park have regulation day glow jacket, seen been renovated and painted. The work working on one of the 53 milestones was funded jointly by the National in North Yorks. Which he has reno- Park, local parishes and the Highways vated. Department. theory he is allowed to work on stones not less than 1. 5 metres from the carriageway Where possible the mileposts are taken though he does bend the rules occasionally away to the company's works where if he can work on the stone in complete they are shot blasted and given several safety. Brian has even been known to dig coats of a very high quality industrial paint. The posts are then returned to Brian Ellis putting the finishing touches up a stone or two to get them home and their original sites and set in a very to one of the 50 typically Yorkshire mile- into the dry of his garage whilst he is do- weak concrete mix. stones which he has renovated ing the restoration work. His biggest chal- lenge to date has been to re-assemble the The general reaction of the public to and notes which milestones deserve his atten- cast iron parts of a milepost which had this work being done by David's com- tion before returning in his car with all his come off second best in a traffic accident. pany is one of delight and it has created tools and paints in the boot. Occasionally the Brian could find no one prepared to weld a lot of interest. Highways pass on requests from local parishes the pieces back together again, so he set to do up a particular stone, but mainly he about drilling holes in the cast iron ('a David also reported that Redcar and decides which ones he would like to renovate. very tough job') so that he could bolt plates Cleveland have embarked on a pro- Because of the media exposure which has been to the back which would keep the pieces gramme of refurbishing the mileposts given to his efforts he quite often is ap- together. A couple of coats of paint later and finger posts within their area. proached directly by a Parish Council to have and milestone was as good as ever. The their milestones painted. Though a number of Council provided a quick setting concrete The Worcestershire Group have had a his neighbouring Parish Councils take a pride into which the repaired stone was set. busy year painting and re-plating some in their milestones, his own Parish Council Brian is rightly proud of his efforts. One of of the milestones within the county. seem to regard them as a roadside hazard. the few problems he met with was when Their first major project, to re-forge the Brian first gives the iron work a coat of he proposed to the chief engineer that a chain of eleven milestones on the old 'Owatrol' (a Norwegian product recommended vulnerable milestone, uprooted in a traffic Page 8 From Dorset, John Tyjberg sends news that after Dorset CC had re-erected a fallen mile- CONSERVATION WORK by MEMBERS stone just south of Dorchester, Group mem- ber David Fox cleaned it up and painted it. turnpike from Worcester to Great Witley was In Essex permission was provisionally completed in April. The occasion was marked granted in 2004 for the repainting of one John also put his talents to use by painting by Sir Michael Spicer MP unveiling the listed and two unlisted mileposts fronting a milestone at St. Leonards and a local lady re-plated five mile stone. In his opening stones in the Borough of Brentwood on the painted up a milestone near Wimborne. remarks Sir Michael praised the members of former Great Essex Road. Advice was Milestone Society for the work they were sought with regards to paint type from the doing for the cause of preserving our roadside listed buildings officer at County Hall and heritage. The whole project took two years to John Nicholls duly refurbished two in Au- complete. Five of the original stones had gust 2005. They were the Grade II listed survived the ravages of time and these had LONDON 21 at Mountnessing and unlisted had their cast iron plates removed during LONDON 22 at Ingatestone. Bothwere the war. The Group treated the project as a stripped completely of old paint and rust community effort involving the five parishes treated (Kurust). The LONDON 21 was along the route as well as Worcester city cracked and broken. It had been repaired Council. The County Council provided a with back straps and bolts prior to 1960. grant to cover the cost of producing a pattern for casting the new plates.

The milestone near Wimborne painted by a local lady

RESTORATION by CIVIC Socs.

In Shropshire Church Stretton Civic Society repainted five of the milestones in close proximity to the town.

The 9 mile stone seen as originally found lying in the ditch and how it now looks after re-erection by Worcs. Highways and re-plated by Little Witley Parish Council The refurbished LONDON 22 stone.

Where the stones were missing, the plates Two -part epoxy filler was put into the larg- were attached to nearby structures. One new est cracks anr the post was painted with stone was purchased by means of a grant Hammerite red oxide. The LONDON 22 from the Diageo foundation topped up by the was in fairly good condition and did not get Group members. The Group are planning to the red oxide treatment. Two coats of white repeat the exercise on the eleven stones Harnmerite Smoothritewere applied (two between Worcester and Bradley Green. hours between coats) and the lettering painted with Japlac enamel. Milepost restored by Stretton Civic Soc. Other conservation projects carried out by the Group in the last twelve months include Another excellent, but difficult restoration the re-painting of five of the concrete Bradley project was undertaken by Upton-on-Severn stones and two of the third generation cast Civic Soc. When they agreed to carry out iron mileposts placed by Hartley RDC in the work needed to re-unite the 2 mile stone 1898. on the road to Little Malvern with its original and very heavy plate.

The restored Bradley stone at Far Forest, near Bewdley. Only the top third of the stone was visible before it was raised to its correct height by Wyre Forest Highways John Nicholls at a restored stone inLittle- Unit and painted by the Worcs. Group. bury, Essex The stone restored by Upton Civic Soc. Page 9

PICTURES – BEFORE AND AFTER

starting. 2) Strip completely of old paint and mile posts that have sunk so low. rust treated (Kurust). 3) Fill largest cracks with epoxy resin and add an undercoat of Hammerite red oxide. 4) Add two top coats of Hammerite Smoothrite and paint lettering with Japlac enamel.

From Somerset comes this example of a milepost that has been allowed to rust away Milestone at Bishop's Sutton. Plate replaced. for years before receiving a complete over- The 'Milestones' Museum at Basingstoke haul from Highways when it became known holds the Tasker collection, an iron-founder that a minor member of the Royal family that used to be in business in Andover. The Many mileposts are broken beyond repair, was due to pass it on the way to an engage- series of stones from Alton to Winchester but this casualty from near Christchurch ment had plates cast by Tasker and a number have seems to have been brought back to life. been recently re-plated.

Only a few inches of this milepost in Aldridge Staffs were visible above the pavement before the local highways dug it out and re-set it in a tidy surround of stone sets at its proper height and gave it a new coat of paint. A second stone was similarly raised to its proper height a couple of miles away on the Lich- field road. It is not uncommon to find heavy From Worcestershire comes an example of Four stages in the of renovation of a mile- milestones that have sunk below their origi- renovation of one of the concrete Bradley post by John Nicholls in Essex- l)Before nal ground level, but it is unusual to find stones with two cast iron plates.

The Worcestershire Group have broken new ground HAVE MILESTONES WILL TRAVEL by taking a display stand out to events around the County in an attempt to boost membership and inter- est in the work of not only of the Group but also of the Milestone Society nationally. To date the stand has made an appearance at three locations and a fourth one is planned . The most successful visit was to a Shelsey Hill Climb event where the display emphasized the need to re-plate the four stones on the unclassified road leading to the site. There was plenty of interest shown by the good crowd and apart from handing out Society leaflets and a new Worcestershire one, a few milestone books were sold and donations of £ 20 to- wards the re-plating programme received,. One new member was signed up to the Society. The life size models of Worcestershire milestones and the banner were all made and paid for by Group members. Page 10

FOOD FOR THOUGHT by the Editor

There are a number of debatable is- When, at the end of the 18th century, marks. sues concerning the maintenance of the turnpikes trusts were seeking a milestones and replacement of their more permanent way to show the in- The use of aluminium for casting plates and even of the complete mile- formation on their stones they turned plates is not a new practice. Around stone which are worth airing. to attaching cast iron plates to them. Abergavenny aluminium plates were attached to the stones in the early The legal obligation to erect a marker Many of the plates were attached to the carved face of the original stone, part of the 20th century. Had alumin- every mile on turnpike roads dates ium been as plentiful and cheap as it back to 1767. During the turnpike era but most stones were either replaced or reversed and re-dressed before at- is today, when the Turnpike Trusts a damaged, worn out or stolen marker were considering plating their stones had to be replaced. Whether this law taching the plate. Many thousands of these cast iron plates have survived would they not have used this lighter is still extant nobody seems to have and maintenance friendly material? found out. What is certain is that throughout the country, but they do milestones still feature in the Road need regular maintenance if the infor- To the purists nothing but the origi- Traffic Act. Section 131, part IX, mation they supply is to be easily nal materials should be used, particu- states that.... ‘If a person without read. Too many of the surviving ones larly when dealing with listed stones. lawful authority or excuse pulls down are so covered with rust that they are However, the use of some of these old or obliterates a traffic sign....or a difficult to read unless you are stand- materials such as lime wash and red

milestone... .he is guilty of an offence.’ ing beside them. lead can be hazardous and require special training. Less hazardous sub- Throughout their history we have seen Presumably during the turnpike era the Trusts had an obligation to keep , stitutes have been around for years changes in the materials used to com- and had the Turnpike Trusts been ply with the law to provide mile mark- not only the information on the carved stones but also on the cast iron plates, around today they would have moved ers on the turnpiked roads—,from with the times. wood to stone, to cast iron, to concrete. readable to the passing traffic. Was There is a problem with those stones Other materials used in more recent this legal obligation passed on down to which have been listed in that the times include aluminium and, very the succeeding generations of custodi- attitudes to listing by conservation rarely, bronze for the plates. ans of the milestones? Presumably officers vary. To some the listed stones Fibre-glass has also been used not, or there would be prisons full of must not be touched in any way with- successfully to re-create missing negligent highways officials! out going through the unbelievably stones. Cast iron varies and most of the slow and complicated process of ob- plates have some degree of porosity. Many of the early turnpike trusts used taining planning permission. This is So, no matter how many coats of paint wooden mile markers and even to this bound to be off-putting to many who are applied to the visible surface, wa- day there are still a number of mark- are willing to do the conservation ter can make its way through from the ers which are made substantially of work, especially when the stone or its back and cause rusting. The Worces- wood, though these now have cast iron plate is crying out for a coat of appro- tershire Group have been very disap- attachments. There are Society mem- priate paint to halt the deterioration pointed to see how quickly many of bers in Sussex who are involved in the process. A few Conservation officers their repainted cast iron plates show replacement of the sometimes fragile sensibly consider the application of a rusting marks- even after applying wooden supports for the 'Bow Bells' coat of an approved paint as a mainte- two coats of anti-rust undercoat and series of markers. Would it be safer to nance job not requiring planning per- two coats of Hammerite. use concrete supports in place of the mission, and so the job gets done. wooden ones whenever the need for Whilst most of us are satisfied to give Another argument going the rounds is replacement arises? the cast iron a quick coat of paint, to whether we should visibly mark the The vast majority of early markers do the job properly can be an expen- sive operation. This involves removing (unlisted) milestones which we have were of stone and so the general term restored with such information as ;- for these mile markers became all the old paint and starting the con- servation process from the bare metal. date of painting, or a record of who did 'milestones'. The information on the the restoration work by attaching a stones was carved into the dressed By doing so the applied layers of paint will considerably outlast the a quick small plaque in an unobtrusive posi- face of the stone. The local stonemason tion on the stone. There are very few coat of new paint over layers of old. who would be actively providing grave examples of this type of information stones, was the source of these early The use of aluminium to cast new being provided in the Turnpike Trust milestones. The quality of the hand plates could be the answer to rusting. days, so why do it now. If we keep the carving varied from crude to flamboy- One South Shropshire parish renewed information on the database up-to- ant. missing cast iron plates with alumin- date and include the information on Today, to hand carve a stone would be ium ones fifteen years ago and it is when and how replacement plates a very expensive operation though now very difficult to tell one from the were attached would this not be a bet- there are now cutting machines that other. The paint on the aluminium ter and less unobtrusive way of re- can do an excellent job by using infor- ones is still perfect whilst that on the cording those changes? Does it matter mation provided by a computer pro- cast iron ones shows considerable rust if replacement plates are so good that gramme. Page 11 the purists amongst us argue that new ones. There are examples of re- which has a life span of approximately there should be some way of telling placements in stone in, amongst other 15 years. It has been undercoated a that they are not the originals? We places Worcestershire and on the Isle given a top coat of Dulux gloss. The have no way of telling if a 150 year old of Arran. back is painted with wood preserva- plate is after all the original one or a Complete new cast iron mile posts can tive. The replica milepost is now in 140 year old replacement. Will it mat- be found in Derby, Staffordshire and situ on the A61 close to the site of the ter in 150 years from now if a plate we Norfolk. There is even a company original one. replace today is not obviously marked Another material which has been used for future generations to be able tell to create milestones is concrete, nota- its origins? bly by Worcestershire County Council in the 1930s when they produced what the Worcestershire Group have called the 'Bradley' stones (after the Deputy Surveyor who is believed to have de- signed them) These 'stones' are rein- forced with steel to give them added strength. The Worcestershire Group are in the process of working out how to reproduce these stones as they have been given a grant by a national com- New cast iron milepost at Challaston with pany to repair one which was alleg- details of when and by whom it was re- edly damaged by vehicles entering one placed. of their premises. Though the concrete which has produced a glossy brochure was shattered the cast iron plates are illustrating a cast iron milepost more or less intact. These can be sal- amongst the other items of street fur- vaged to be attached to a new stone. niture which they can now supply. Reproducing the design of the original will entail creating a shuttered form Fibreglass has already been used to into which the concrete can be poured. make a replica milepost. It was made Hopefully this form can then be used to replace a missing post in the series to manufacture other Bradley stones from Guisborough to Whitby reno- to replace others which have been de- vated for the North York Moors Na- stroyed by traffic accidents. A replacement plate on a Hamp- tional Park by Cleveland Corrosion shire milestone showing the year Control. Without going up to this rep- Is there a case to be argued for using of replacement. lica and examining the back, you concrete to replicate missing mile- would be hard pressed to tell that it stones as a cheaper alternative to A number of series of milestones are was not an original cast iron one like dressed stone, particularly where a complete except for maybe one that all the others. Is there a future for plate is to be attached? has disappeared over the years, or has fiberglass or would it be cheaper and been damaged beyond repair in a traf- Another issue which needs to be de- more appropriate to have such re- fic accident. To what extent should we bated is— to what extent do we wish placements made in cast iron? be campaigning for a complete re- to push for the return of milestones to placement and in what material? Al- And how about wooden replicas of their original sites when they have ready we have many examples where mileposts. Take a close look at the been in legitimate hands of private stones or posts have been replaced by picture below. It is a replica of a York individuals for many years? For a con- siderable time after World War 2, there was a distinct lack of interest in milestones by Highways officials es- pecially when only a few years previ- ously they had had a Government di- rective to get rid of them, by whatever means it took, to prevent them being of assistance to a possible invading army. The result was that many stones were abandoned by the road- side and many rescued by household- ers and re-erected in their gardens Others found their way into local mu- seums. Is there a case for returning them to the roadside or are they safer Wooden replica of a milepost by the A61 where they are? Whichever option is A new stone and plate at Hallow on the shire mile post made by Brian Brad- taken their details need to be re- A443 Worcester to Great Witley road. ley-Smith out of exterior 3/4 inch ply corded. Page 12 able from the Milestone Society

In the first issue of ON THE GROUND there was only a very brief reference to milestones in Scotland. The reason for this is not that there are few milestones there (there are lots and lots) but because we only have six members resident there who can report back on progress. What we do have is a number of our members One of a number of designs of Fife mile- from south of the border who just stones. The cast iron cap on this one is love to holiday in Scotland and spend attached to a whinstone pillar. Note the time studying and photographing the latest experiment in weed control stones. So, here is a selection of some Before the days of the railways, Fife was of the recently photographed restored crossed by the Great North road linking milestones and mileposts to whet the the ferry ports of Newport on the Tay appetite. There are many of these excellent and Pettycur on the Forth. The road still mile-posts leading to Dunoon Pier from has most of its superb set of mileposts. four different directions though not all are as well cared for as this example.

Scottish foundries were renowned for the quality of their work and there are many fine examples of cast iron mile- posts to be found beside the old turn- pike roads. Sadly, too many of them are in need of a good coat of paint.

One of a run of similar stones to be found on the A76 from Dumfries to New One of the restored mileposts on the Great Cumnock cared for by a local resident. North road through Fife. It is dated 1824

Quite a number of series of mile- THE ISLE OF ARRAN MILESTONES, stones in Scotland are simple stones and RUTH and ALAN THOMPSON. like the above with just the mileage For devotion to the cause of milestone preserva- shown from the town of origin. Decid- tion the work of the Thompsons on the Isle of ing where this was can often test one's Arran takes some beating. Authors of the book powers of logic. 'The Milestones of Arran', Ruth and Alan Thompson take a very keen interest in the is- land's 77 milestones. Together they annually visit each stone clearing vegetation and making Another fine example of a recently repairs where necessary. The road which cir- painted cast iron milepost on the A811 cumnavigates the island is 55miles long and Ruth has walked the whole route in a day to raise The Jewel in the crown of milestone money for charity—not just the once, but three restoration in Scotland must surely be times. Alan has been the back up in his car and whilst Ruth walks, he attends to the needs of the worn by the Highways Dept. of the stones. Since they were first attracted to the Kingdom of Fife. There they take a island the Thompsons have found and replaced a particular pride in their milestones and number of missing stones Their devotion to the have a regular programme of repainting. stones has persuaded other island residents to For some time various groups have care for the stones bordering their properties. There are two cross island routes also with been involved in recording and restor- stones bringing the total on the island to 77. A restored direction stone on the A76 ing them and there is now a book pub- near Cumnock lished by one of these groups which The number of copies of their book is running low but the Milestone Society still have a supply. records their history. Copies are avail- Page 13

stones. Most of those on the coast road NEWS FROM WALES from Cardigan to Aberystwyth, A487, have been painted within the past Although there are many more mem- ways engineer, responsible for the pro- twelve months. Unfortunately, the com- bers of the society resident in Wales ject, is interested in preservation. bination of wet weather and overhang- than in Scotland, the spread is insuffi- ing trees often causes green algae to Ian reports the reappearance of a mile- cient to be able to encourage the setting flourish on the stones undoing the stone which disappeared 18 months ago up of County groups. We do have good work of the maintenance crew. county coordinators in Ceredigion, Pem- at a remote location between Pentrefoe- broke and Radnorshire (now part of las and Festiniog. The National Trust, Powys) and a recent offer to be a coordi- who own the land bordering the road, nator for the North Wales counties of recovered it after it had been dragged Gwynedd and Clwyd. Hopefully future across the road to a lay-by where it was issues of ON THE GROUND will have left. It is an enormous slate slab and took more to report, but in the meantime four men to lift it back to its original posi- here are some snippets gleaned from the tion. It seems that someone had tried to membership. steal it but it had proved too heavy. Another recent theft reported by Ian is one of the original plates from the Tel-ford milestone 'HOLYHEAD 25' in Bangor. The local authority is now ar- ranging for it to be replaced with a replica Two recently restored milestones in They are also hoping to replace the origi- Ceredigion, the left hand one is on the nal fixing bolts on the surviving original A44 entrance to Aberystwyth and the plates with new bolts making it harder to right hand one on the A487 remove the plates (subject to approval by Chris Woodard, the coordinator for CADW). Ceredigion, is not as physically mobile as he used to be so a lot of his energies have recently been devoted to produc- ing a book of sketches of Welsh mile- stones with bi-lingual comments on the This milestone, which had been missing stones. His hopes are that it will be for a number of years, was re-erected on the Whitton-Monaughty road by Powys CC ready for next Spring.

Through the good offices of Mr. Charlie Bass of Powys C.C. Highways Dept. a milestone on the B4356 between Forest Lodge and Pilleth church was reinstated. It is not quite in its original place but, as Sadie Cole the coordinator for the area says-... 'it's back and in good condition' The only other surviving stone in the series, two miles from Presteign, was severely damaged by a verge cutting ma- This Telford milestone in Bangor High St. chine. 'Unfortunately' , says Sadie, 'it is has recently had its original plate stolen beyond repair'. The local stone used for the milestones is very fragile and flakes Ian has also been studying the milestones Two sketches from Chris Woodard's off easily. in Flintshire, a small county with few forthcoming book of sketches of Welsh mileposts. Sadly, he has had to report the milestones. Ian Jolly, a recent recruit to the Society, loss of one of the few. Recently a Flint- Anthony Rhys-Davies, the coordinator was a Gwynedd county councilor for shire County Council cast iron mile post for Pembroke reports that the mile- some years and 'knows the system' He of 1892 on the A5119 ,in Northop village stones which were painted three years has been traveling the area photograph- has been smashed by a verge cutter. A ago are already showing signs of rusting. ing the stones and keeping an eye on nearby milestone (possibly its earlier The Council are keen enough to want those milestones at risk from road wid- counterpart) has been renovated. them back in pristine condition, but say ening between Llanystumdwy and Ceredigion (used to be Cardigan) has a that they lack the resources to carry out Pwllheli. 'Luckily', says Ian, 'the High- policy of regular painting of their mile- the work. Page 14

probably come over in his horse and trap. I wish I could afford his potions for rheumatism, it's really bad today. I can't even have a bit of baccy -1 broke my last clay pipe yesterday. Tapped it out on Tis unseasonably cold today, just be- - the Two Pokers public house is nearby the milestone, I did, like everybody cause I'm having a bit of an outing. I'm and if there's any trouble, Landlord else does. The hunt meets there, too. Meg and I keep the tollhouse at Flock- Viner will help out. That's a real worry And the stem broke. I'll have to ton Green, and though I says it meself, with our job - people resent the tolls and catch the Jagger next time I hear his it's neat as a new pin, both of the bed- we get robbed and murdered for it. I rooms, the living room and the can see all down the road from our big bellhorse as he leads his packhorses back-kitchen, not an easy task with four windows, now where IS that Molly up the old Wakefield back growing children, bringing in the dirt Sheard? It's a bit of a county fair, like, road. No paying tolls for him ! Now from working in the fields. Now this Gala, held on the big field behind where's my big shawl? It's so cold today - where's my hat pin? I'm wearing my Flockton Mechanics Institute. That's this Yorkshire weather. I expect there'll best black straw bonnet and I've put a where they do a bit of book-learning for be a stall selling fairings - you know, bunch of purple scabious and wild the men. But I can read and count cheap metal and pottery ornaments, parsley on the brim, looks a real treat. enough to do the tolls, and sign my animals and such. I got one last year, the I'm wearing my clean white pinny - a name on receipts. Three Wise Monkeys, made of brass. It's bit more ample than I used to be! And The Trustees don't make much from it. on the dresser, look. I could have sworn I my eldest has shined my Sunday boots. That nice Surveyor Mr Rosevear calls it heard the middle one speak, just now - He's fourteen so he will watch the a 'middling busy turnpike'. It were I'm sure he said "d-d-d-d-do you d-do tollgate while I'm away. It's got a big started in 1789 and goes from Bamsley b-brazing?!!" Poor little fellow - now new padlock with two spare keys so it to Grange Moor, about 12 miles. The where IS that Molly Sheard ?! should keep folks back while they pays Trustees have to be men of substance, their money. with £400 of income coming in each I'm awaiting for Mrs Sheard, her from year. They wanted the road to go to the the next toll house at the Denby Dale- White Cross, on the old priest's road crossroads, on Bar Lane. She's coming from Wakefield, to join up with the on her old nag - we won't charge her Leeds to Huddersfield road over the the thruppence to pass our gate, though Colne Bridge. That's where the big mill l'm not from round here meself, I'm caught fire and all those poor little girls from the Midlands. My husband was a were burned to death. Fair makes you coachman - he was on the "Lancer" mail weep, don't it? coach from Birmingham to Leicester, Mr Keegan, one of the trustees, is a when one of the horses took fright and really kind gentleman. He said I could bolted- they ran away down the hill and have half a day off to go to the Gala to he was throwed off. Dead when they hand out some pamphlets. It's about a picked him up, God rest his soul he new surface they are putting on the road. were a good man,always provided for Mr MacAdam invented it, lots of small us. And I had four bairns and no money. pebbles bashed down. You have to But my sister in law is in service at the water it too - sounds a bit daft to me, but Manor near Flockton and heard that the potholes do cause lots of complaints. they needed a new tollkeeper so I It's those thinwheels on the carts applied. Most of us tollkeepers are - we have a gauge to measure the fellies women, the money ain't much and we charge them a higher toll nowadays but there's the Everybody will be there, Reverend accommodation. And it's a deal better Buxton the Parson, Mr Benford the Schoolmaster and Mr Barrow the Parish than the workhouse. Clerk. Even dear Mr Dopson from the Manor ! And Dr and Mrs Haines from It's not proper posh like the tollhouses the big house. There'll be things to eat, Mr Telford's built on his Holyhead gingerbread and suchlike, and games - Jan dressed for the part as Meg the Road - they look very grand, I saw one bowling for the pig, I expect. once, when I went on the coach with Tollkeeper. Merrydale Dick the apothecary will my husband. But it's quiet here and safe

one was stolen. The stolen plate was itself a

MEDIA PUBLICITY OF THE WORK OF THE SOCIETY copy of the original cast iron one..

The Society re-vamped its publicity leaflet and bit article because the Parish Council were in- Brian Bradley-Smith has also featured in his most of the print run has now been handed out volved. Similarly in Wokingham, the local Histori- local press painting one of the milestones on by members. A new version of the leaflet is cal society interest was the big feature of the theA168(oldA1) being considered. Copies of Journal number 1 article and picture. Local radio phone-ins cover have been distributed to anyone who is in- larger catchments and have picked up on some of Keith Walker and Ruth Hirst were photo- volved with conservation ,highway maintenance the loss issues. Radio Swindon asked Alan in on a graphed by a Forest of Dean milestone in a and to many libraries. morning show after a Parish near Devizes de- feature on surveying of the milestones in the clared someone had stolen their milestone— area published in 'The Forester'. Wherever members are involved in work on Alan's message was,.."care for them or they will the milestones every opportunity should be get pinched". Alan also did slots on Radio Berks The Worcestershire Group invited the local taken to get a story into the local media but, as and Radio Oxford during the BBC Restoration press to attend the ceremony they had organ- Alan Rosevear points out in his report, whilst series. Another Radio Oxford phone-in arose ized to celebrate the finish of their project on each of the restoration jobs he has achieved when someone had noticed the contrast be- the A443. Typical of some local press they presents an opportunity to publicise milestones tween restored and un-restored stones. decided to come the day before and do a rather and raise awareness, there is a limit to how innocuous write up and a daft picture of two of often a newspaper wants to do "another Mile- David Wright received publicity in his local paper the team peering round the 5 mile stone. stone painted by enthusiasts". Restoration of when he attached a bronze plate to a milestone Terry Keegan, as Secretary, often gets requests the Wantage stones got a picture and article in in the town of Stone. Staffordshire County Coun- to speak on different regional radio phone-ins. two local papers. The Aldbourne stones got a cil funded the replacement plate after a similar Page 15

overgrown hedge. On the Hereford to SNIPPETS of INFORMATION Brecon road, a cast iron milepost in front THEFT John Higgins reported a recent theft languished in his garage for over six months of Milestone House has been repainted. of an 1830 bobbin style milepost from north of before being returned for reinstalling. The property itself has undergone some Burton. This had the local Highways man out Milestones damaged in car accidents happen restoration and is now known as Fourth looking that same day to ascertain that it had frequently and John, when alerted, visits the site Milestone House. definitely gone. Unfortunately it had. So then and picks up the pieces. A quotation has been Ian Thompson discovered a neatly painted they alerted the County Council head office obtained from a local blacksmith for repairing cast milestone next to a restored horse drawn plough who contacted the police, local papers and iron posts and this is then passed on to the in the garden of a farm next to the old Launceston radio stations. John gave an interview for Radio Highway authority. A damaged post near to Camelford turnpike. This was the missing 9th Derby the next morning. Newborough is currently being repaired. Had it milestone of a run of 11. It had been rescued John doesn't hide the fact that, when checking not been for the intervention of a member of the some three years previously when it had been the condition of the milestones, if he finds Milestone Society it would almost certainly have knocked down during a winter flood. The farmer ones loose in the ground, he is happy to lift stayed in three pieces. was unaware who to contact to get it replaced. As them and take them back to his garage until From Herefordshire Tony Boyce tells of a result of lan's intervention the area such time as they can be concreted in two mileposts, typical of the County, that supervisor, Tony Curtiss is due to make a site properly. His garage is always full of bits and have been repainted and repositioned by visit to locate the stump of the milestone, still pieces of posts but, as he says, ... "better off the roadside at Weobley. One had been somewhere on the verge, and to decide how best there than on eBAY" One, dated 1828, behind a fence and the other deep in an to effect a repair BY ROYAL COMMAND. Janet Dowding noted that a previously very rusty milepost BOOKS— The following publications are available from the Secretary. had recently been painted by a Somerset C.C. Highways Dept. Later, out driving with her MARKING THE MILES—A history of English milestones Carol Haines. 187pp £12 +£1 p&p husband, they spotted a Highways man MILESTONES— Covers the whole of Britain ...... Mervyn Benford. 48pp £4.99 + 51p painting a finger post and chatting to him THE MILESTONES OF ARRAN— An Island tour ...... Ruth & Alan Thompson. £5.50+ £1 p&p learnt that a mile post had also been painted because a minor member of the Royal family MANX MILESTONES— A comprehensive account .... Stuart Slack. 64pp £7.99+ 51p was due to pass on the way to an engagement. THE MILESTONES OF FIFE— Complete list. Alex Darwood & Paula Martin. 48pp £5 + 50p PUBLICITY OFFICER The Society is in need of a publicity officer, skilled in obtaining the best MILESTONES— A survey of 4 routes N & W of Gloucester .. £ 3 + 50p coverage for the many good stories available on ROADS — Archaeology and Architecture ...... Richard K Morriss. 288pp £ 17.99 +£ 3 p&p the work we are doing. If there is a potential THOMAS TELFORD'S HOLYHEAD ROAD ...... The CBA's research report, including a comprehen volunteer reading this, the committee would be sive study of the milestones, ...... Quartermain, Trinder and Turner, 1 82pp £ 17.50 +£2.50 only too pleased to welcome you on board. ROAD SIGNS— The history of British Traffic Signs ...... Stuart Hands. 32pp £3.50 + 50p TREFHC ADVISORY LEMliET. To get a POSTCARDS — The Society has now produced 8 post cards..-No.s 1 ,2 and 4 picture five mixed M/S. copy of the leaflet 'Traditional Direction No.3, nine Yorkshire M/S. No.5 Langtree M/P. No.6 five Warwickshire examples. No.7 five Hunting Signs' off the web.- www.dft.gov.uk - from donshire waymarkers. No.8, seven examples from Worcestershire ...... 25p each. the home page, click on Roads and Vehicles, then Traffic and Parking Management and then Traffic Advisory Group Newsletter would not be suitable for a EDITOR'S FINALE Leaflets publication like ON THE GROUND. Many of the elements of my Newsletter publication are MEETING REMINDER. The Yorkshire This is not an apology, but an explanation of still there but I have had to develop a steep Group's Autumn meeting is at Jan how the extraordinary layout of this the sec- learning curve on how to use some of the Scrine's house in Huddersfield on Sun. ond edition of ON THE GROUND carne publishing tools available to me in order to scan 16th Oct. 10.30 to 3.45 Speakers, about. photographs and electronically paste them into the text at the right size. This I have learnt to displays—everyone welcome! Members Before I started to work on the follow up to do as the issue progressed and I have to thank free, guests £1. Bring a packed lunch, Mervyn Benford's 2004 edition my only experi- my daughter Alison for her patient instructions ence of producing a publication of this sort was drinks provided. and also all those I had to ring up for further the Newsletters compiled for the members of instructions on how to perform what was often the Worcestershire Group. To do this I used a the most simplest of tasks. Publisher programme on my computer which allowed me to do all sorts of weird and won- Had I not run out of time, I am sure that, if I derful things. I had all the tools to produce a had started again from scratch and with my 'ON THE GROUND' is published Newsletter, but my knowledge on how to use greatly improved knowledge, this edition of by The Milestone Society, a regis- them was extremely limited—so limited, in ON THE GROUND could have been greatly tered charity (reg No. 110568) for feet, that the only way I knew to produce improved. illustrations was to set to and draw them and distribution amongst its mem- reduce them on a photocopier to fit the size of My aim was to prove to the membership and in bers. gap left in the text. I then had to physically particular those not wishing to get involved in paste the illustration on to a printed out copy the physical side of conservation that member- Soc. Secretary. Terry Keegan, of the Newsletter. ship of the Milestone Society is a very worth The Oxleys, Tenbury Rd., Clows while investment This was the vision of how I intended putting Top Kidderminster. DYI4 9HE this issue of ON THE GROUND together. I If it proves anything, this edition does prove (tel. 01299 832358) soon realized that what was good enough for a that you can teach an old dog new tricks. Page 16

THE PROBLEM OF THE VERGE CUTTERS

The most serious threat to the survival of the milestones today HOW MANY MILES to LONDON? is not the apathy of the Highway Authorities, is not the effects of the weather, is not damage from road traffic, nor is it from thieving ,but quite simply from the use of machinery to cut the roadside verges. From all over the country come reports of more and more milestones suffering serious damage from these machines. No operator of a verge cutting machine would deliberately risk damaging his expensive machine by not taking steps to avoid a solid object like a ccmilestone—if he is made aware of its presence. So what steps need to be taken to ensure the machine operators are aware of their presence? Firstly;- If the vegetation around the stone was kept down so that the stone was visible, a) Use of weed killers would be unsightly and unpopular amongst the 'greens', b) Lay a curtain of sets around the stone, (expensive), c) employ a lengthsman to keep the undergrowth down around the stones. A limited number such operators are being employed by parishes, d) Teams employed by the highway authorities in the same way that litter teams and teams of strimmers could be used to keep the stones clear.

Secondly:- Make sure that the stones are raised to their original height above ground level so that they stand out. Thirdly:- Paint the stones white as was traditional during the turnpike days. Using the correct paint also helps to preserve the stone. Fourthly:- Provide the operators of the machines with a plan of where the stones are and make him responsible for any damage caused. Finally:- If all else fails. Provide the stone with some sort of warning marker. This would need to be as unobtrusive to the setting as possible. In some European countries this is done by painting a small mark on the nearside road surface to let the operator know that a stone is there. Somehow we must stop the slaughter before there are no stone left fo us to preserve.

David Wright standing by the milepost which he and Stafordshire co-ordinator John Higgins had just re-sited After rescuing it from the yard of a dealer in architectural antiques