Multi purpose milestone
An old milestone to be seen in the centre of Ampthill in Bedfordshire also doubles as
a water pump and has a street lamp on top.
19th century milestone
A fine milestone dated 1829 still stands in Abbey Road at Leeds in West Yorkshire close to
Kirkstall Abbey.
It is equidistant from London and Edinburgh
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Abbey Road, Leeds
Bramhope Cross
A fine signpost from former times still stands in the centre of the village of Bramhope
Mounting stone signpost
An old milestone which also doubled as a mounting block
can be seen near to the village
of Beswick , on the A164
in East Yorkshire , midway between Beverley and
Driffield.
Beswick
The Red Post
An old sign post can be seen at
the cross roads of the A3072 and the B3254 near to Stratton in Cornwall .
It is painted red and is known
locally as The Red Post. It was once the site of the gallows.
Stratton
Cast iron signposts
Later turnpike roads were well signposted with cast iron posts such as this one which is still situated on the Leeds - Otley road at Bramhope.
Leeds to Otley road
City Boundary
The boundary of the City of Coventry was extended to boundary of the Parish of Allesley in 1928
and was marked by this fine cast iron boundary post.
Stone milestones
Also on the Leeds - Otley road are several stone milestones giving localised directions.
Leeds to Otley road
Leeds to Ripon turnpike boundary stone West Park Street, Harrogate, North Yorkshire
This old Banbury to Oford turnpike stone is preserved outside the Council Offices at Oxford.
It probably dates to 1755
This well preserved stone is situated at Ripley in North Yorkshire.
This stone which is preserved on the quayside at Brixham in Devon declares the end of the
Dartmouth to Torquay turnpike.
Over
the Sands
Ancient routes actually cross over
the wide Morecambe Bay when the tide is out.
Before the advent of more efficient transport, it was quicker for people
to travel that way than overland.
However, the quicksands, shifting fogs and sudden tides, made the
crossing of these routes a dangerous business, indeed the Tidal Race, occurring
every 12 hours, can outrun a galloping horse.
Very few people can identify the safe paths across the sands when the
tide is out and eventually The Queen’s Official Guides to the Sands of
Morecambe Bay were appointed to
ensure the safe passage of travellers.
Every day the sands are
different as the sea washes away old tracks making the job of the guide
extremely hazardous. The official guide
still lives at Cartmell and his house is surrounded by laurel bushes whose
leaves he uses to mark the safe routes across the Bay. The appointment is funded by the Queen, as a
service to the public from the Duchy of Lancaster.
It is still possible to
make such walks to this day, but only the foolhardy would attempt such
crossings without the guide!
This old milepost preserved at
Cartmel shows : Lancaster over-sands 15 miles
& Ulverston over-sands 7
miles.
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