Summary

A coal duty boundary marker, dated 1861, cast by Henry Grissell.

Description

A coal duty boundary marker, dated 1861, cast by Henry Grissell.

MATERIALS and DESCRIPTION: a white painted cast-iron post formed of a square column with chamfered corners and a pyramidal top. Below the pyramidal top on the necking there is a shield divided into quarters by a red raised cross with a red dagger in the top left quarter, forming the City of London crest. The raised inscription on the column states ‘24 VICT’ which refers to the 1861 London Coal and Wine Duties Continuance Act. The base of the marker is concealed by earth.

History

This City of London Coal Duty Marker is one of a remaining ring of posts which were erected in a 20-25 mile radius of the City of London. They were used to demarcate the boundary where duty was to be paid as per the London Coal and Wine Duties Continuance Act 1861. They are strategically located at vital entry points often on roads, but also railways and canals.
 
Taxes had been levied on the importation of coal into the City of London since the medieval period and various successive Acts of Parliament allowed the City to spend the proceeds on public works. The Act has its origins in the 1667 First Rebuilding Act which raised a duty of one shilling per chaldron of coal to help fund the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire of 1666. This was collected via the Port of London as coal came by sea and the Thames to London from Newcastle. Further financial difficulties caused by Charles II's borrowing of money from the Corporation of London led to the passing of the Act for the Relief of Orphans and of the Creditors of the City of London in 1694. This authorised a duty of 4 shillings per tun on wine brought into the Port of London as well as further fees and duties on coal. These duties were used to pay for improvement works such as the construction of Holborn Viaduct and Blackfriars Bridge.

By the mid-C19 coal began to be brought into London by road, canal and rail as well as by sea. To continue to collect duties posts were erected around London in an irregular circle indicating where these were due. In 1861 the London Coal and Wine Duties Continuance Act was passed, at which point the boundaries were brought in line with the boundaries of the Metropolitan Police District, and in 1862 the duties were transferred to the Metropolitan Board of Works. This change in area required the erection of new boundary markers and around 280 standardised cast-iron markers were installed to mark it. Those on roads and paths were cast by Henry Grissell of the Regents Canal Ironworks between approximately 1859 and 1864 and mostly bear the inscription '24 & 25 VICT/CAP 42'. Some of the posts have lost the initial '2' or 'T'. It has been suggested that these were removed to enable correcting plates to be fitted in 1866. The tax continued until 1891 when the Corporation of London relinquished its rights to collected tolls on wine and coal. The coal and wine duty marker west of Theydon Bois was manufactured in 1861, and is shown on the six inch Ordnance Survey map surveyed between 1866 and 1874 and published between 1880 and 1882.

Reasons for Listing

This cast-iron coal duty boundary post at Theydon Bois, erected in 1861, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest: 

* as a distinctive marker retaining its form and original detailing, cast by Henry Grissell of the Regents Canal Ironworks.

Historic interest:

* as a tangible reminder of the tax on coal imported into London as well as the position of the Metropolitan Police District boundary in 1861.

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