CURIOUS STREET FURNITURE - milestones

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

 

 

 

Abbey Road, Leeds

                           

Bramhope Cross

 

A fine signpost from former times still stands in the centre of the village of Bramhope

 a Leeds suberb.

 

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.