Gott's Monument at the National Society for Epilepsy, Chalfont St. Peter, Buckinghamshire

Entry Name: Gott's Monument at the National Society for Epilepsy

Listing Date: 22 December 1958

Last Amended: 30 April 2007

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1124827

English Heritage Legacy ID: 44772

ID on this website: 101124827

Location: Chalfont Common, Buckinghamshire, SL9

County: Buckinghamshire

Civil Parish: Chalfont St. Peter

Built-Up Area: Gerrards Cross

Traditional County: Buckinghamshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Buckinghamshire

Church of England Parish: Chalfont St Peter

Church of England Diocese: Oxford

Tagged with: Monument

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Chalfont Saint Giles

Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 24/02/2012

TQ 09 SW
6/26
22.12.58

CHALFONT ST PETER
CHESHAM LANE
Gott's Monument at the National Society for Epilepsy

(formerly listed as Obelisk, Monument Lane, Chalfont Common)

Obelisk milestone constructed in 1785, restored in 1879 and altered in the 1960s. Flint rubble with an inscribed stone plaque surrounded by a brick border. The plaque is at horseback height. The inscription on the plaque reads:

1785
To NEWLAND I Mile III Furl.g's
To Chesham VII Miles
Built by Sir H T Gott
Restored by W Brown in 1879
To Denham IV Miles
To Uxbridge VI Miles
LONDON XXI

There is also an incised pointing hand between the 17 and 85 of the first line of inscription.

HISTORY: The monument was erected in 1785 by Sir H T Gott, and sits at the entrance to the Chalfont Epilepsy colony. Local tradition suggests that the monument either commemorates a hunt attended by George III, or an incident in which the king got lost in the forest surrounding the monument.
The monument was damaged by a lightning strike in 1879, and repaired by W Brown. After a second lightning strike in the 1960s the height of the obelisk was reduced from 60ft to about 20ft.

SOURCES: C Haines, Marking the Miles, A History of English Milestones (Norwich, 2000), 97.

Summary of Importance: Milestones are important indicators of C18 and C19 road use, in a period which saw significant changes to transport and road engineering. Gott's Monument is a historically very interesting because of its combined use as both milestone and commemorative monument.

Listing NGR: TQ0032492362

External Links

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