Summary

A V-shaped cast iron milepost from the early 19th century, located on the former London–Henley–Oxford turnpike and marking 48 miles from London, and restored in 2014.

Description

A cast iron milepost from the early C19, located on the former London–Henley–Oxford turnpike and marking 48 miles from London.

MATERIALS: primarily constructed from cast iron on a concrete support, a small section to the lower left-hand side (facing south) has been repaired in cement.

DESCRIPTION: the milepost is V-shaped in plan with a sloping triangular top and vertical headplate, positioned within a grass verge on the A4074. The inscriptions to the southern face comprise ‘Oxford 10’ and ‘Abingdon 8’, the northern face ‘Henley 13’, ‘Wallingford 2’, with ‘Shillingford’ below, and the vertical front face has ‘London 48’ and ‘T & J Perry Reading’ to the triangular sloped top.

History

Many important routes in England were created or enhanced in the C18 or C19 to facilitate longer-distance overland travel. New and improved roads required new infrastructure including markers to inform travellers of directions and distances. Most milestones and mileposts were created and maintained by turnpike trusts; bodies established by Acts of Parliament that collected tolls from road users. From the 1740s, the trusts were encouraged to provide mile markers along their routes, and under the 1766 General Turnpike Act milestones became compulsory on all turnpike roads.

The road between Oxford and Henley on which the milepost is located formed part of the important route between London and the west country, and is probably Roman or earlier in origin. In 1736 the responsibility of the road was taken over by the Henley and Dorchester Turnpike Trust which was established by an Act of Parliament (Act 9 George II Chap 14).

The milepost is numbered 48 as a reference to its distance in miles from London, and first appears on the T Jefferys map surveyed in 1766-1767, then later the J Andrews and A Drury map of 1791, and that by J Cary of 1793-1794; all of which indicate its original position being slightly further south, near to the junction with Wharf Road in Shillingford. Later mapping of 1823 by A Bryant, and Ordnance Survey mapping of 1830 show the milepost slightly further north than on the earlier maps, but it is not until Ordnance Survey mapping of 1878 that it is marked in its surveyed location at the time of listing in 1986. Soon after listing, it is understood that the milepost was lost, later found in a ditch nearby and then put into storage. Restoration and repairs were undertaken in 2014, and the milepost installed to its current location.

Other milestones on the former Henley and Dorchester turnpike are limestone, such as those numbered 47 and 49 nearby (both Grade II) and are understood to date from the C18. The milepost is a later C19 replacement, manufactured in cast iron by T and J Perry who operated out of the Katesgrove iron foundry in Reading between 1818 and 1820.

Reasons for Listing

The milepost on the junction of Henley Road and Oxford Road, A4074, between Shillingford and Dorchester, erected in around 1820 and restored in 2014, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* as an example of a cast-iron milepost of the early-C19.

Historic interest:

* as testament to the wave of road improvement and the introduction of turnpikes which facilitated the transport needs of this part of Oxfordshire in the C18 and C19.

Group value:

* it is one of a series of mileposts and milestones erected by this turnpike trust along the route, including those numbered 47 and 49 nearby (both Grade II Listed, National Heritage List for England (NHLE) entries 1047863 and 1180994).

External Links

• Wikidata Q26299927

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

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  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
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  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
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  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
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  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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