Milestones and Turnpikes
Milestones were initially erected to inform travellers how far they had to
travel before they reached their destination, and are a relic of a bygone age
when transport was much simpler and slower.
The first milestones originated with the Romans who laid down an extensive
network of roads across the country to move troops and supplies. Unsurprisingly
very few of these remain in situ.
In 1730 an Act of Parliament was passed allowing groups of local men to take
over the maintenance and improvement of sections of road in the county. In return
for the work they did on the road system these men were entitled to install
tollgates and turnpikes and to charge people for passage along their roads.
These groups of men were called Turnpike Trusts.
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The improvements to the roads as a direct result of these
tolls made it possible for packhorses to be replaced by wagons and carriages.
This meant that larger and heavier packages could be transported as a
carriage could carry 5 times as much as a packhorse. The improved roads
also resulted in speedier and more comfortable personal travel.
By 1730 Herefordshire had the largest Turnpike system in Britain, with
the Hereford Trust controlling 118 miles of road. From the 1740’s Turnpike
Trusts were encouraged to mark every mile and in 1766 milestones became
compulsory on all Turnpike roads. Mile-markers enabled the accurate pricing
and timing of journeys, enabling stagecoach drivers to keep to their timetables. |
| Early milestones, whether set up by Turnpike Trusts or private individuals,
were often built out of wood, which was quickly replaced by local stone
examples. Originally milestones were placed with a flat face to the road
but as transport became faster angled sides became the norm to improve visibility
on approach. The arrival of cast metal plates with their resistance to erosion
and clearer details caused many stone examples to be replaced. Today there
is a great variety in shape, material and design of remaining milestones.
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The introduction of the motor car increased the speed and
distance of travel and in the early 20th century the Automobile
Association made enamelled circular plate distance markers and mounted them
on the walls of buildings, pubs and garages. |
Sadly the later years of the 20th century have not been favourable
to milestones with many falling foul of new road building, verge cutting and
modern signing. Inscriptions have worn away and rain and frost have caused many
of the early stone markers to flake and crack. Although many milemarkers in
Herefordshire are listed few are properly maintained and many are still vulnerable
to misappropriation and damage through neglect.
Milestone enthusiasts in the county are hoping to set up a branch of the nationwide
Milestone Society in Herefordshire with the aim of photographing and restoring
all the existing milemarkers (posts, stones, wallplates etc). The results of
this project will eventually be included in the Herefordshire Sites and Monuments
Record database available on-line at www.smr.herefordshire.gov.uk
Tony Boyce, currently the national publicity officer of the Milestone Society,
will become the co-ordinator of the new Herefordshire branch. Any information
concerning existing or missing milestones, or enquiries about joining the Herefordshire
group should contact its secretary, Terry Keegan, at The Oxleys, Tenbury Road,
Clows Top, Kidderminster DY14 9HE or print out an application form from www.milestone-society.co.uk