Milestones

'‘Milestone’ is a generic term, including mileposts made of cast iron. Such waymarkers are fast disappearing; around 9000 are thought to survive in the UK.

Most were removed or defaced in World War II to baffle potential German invaders and not all were replaced afterwards.

Many have been demolished as roads have been widened, or have been victims of collision damage, or have been smashed by hedge-cutters or flails.'

www.milestonesociety.co.uk



This one is in Spring View, Ince, not too far away from the cricket club. I wondered why it gives the distance from Ince to Warrington then remembered it is on Warrington Road.

Do you know the whereabouts of any milestones in the borough and what information is on them?

One on Wigan rd (about 200yards from Arnold Clarkes garage)I think it gives the distance to the town centres Ashton/Wigan

Could it be this one, PeterP?

www.imagesofengland.org.uk

Ashton in Makerfield Wigan Road SD 50 SE (east side)Milestone to front of Local Authority office.
Possibly late C18 or early C19 with added mid C19 inscription. Stone.
Curved sides coming to arris at front and chamfered to top. To north: the chamfer is inscribed: "TO/ASHTON/VILLAGE/BRIDGE/1090/YARDS" in italic letters;
the side is inscribed: "TO/WARRINGTON/8 MILES".
To south: the chamfer is inscribed: "TO/BRYN/STATION/640 YARDS", in italic letters,
the side is inscribed: "TO/ WIGAN/4 MILES".

Jo Anne bob on been painted since this photo was taken

I'm glad to have found a photo, PeterP.

I tend not to take much notice of local milestones and just take them for granted.

Edit (26/1/14) Photos of the Wigan Road milestone before & after painting: link

There's one near the Boar's Head.

'Borrowed Pic

Thanks, Dostaf.

LANGTREE.

2 MILES TO WIGAN.

6.25 MILES TO CHORLEY.

15 MILES TO PRESTON.

~ 1837 ~

(The starting year of Queen Victoria's reign)

I wonder how exact the distances are in Tonker terms?

There's one on Wigan lane

Borrowed pic

Whoops sorry I haven't got my specs on!

Millstone Inn, indeed! I like that, Chatty.

Off topic.
Believe or not jo anne back in the day if we were ever on a "do" down the lane, that used to be the "old mans pub" that would be missed out.
It probably takes more than the rest of them put together these days. (They don't forget to charge though).

I've never been in the Millstone Inn, Chatty - it looks like a big place.

Two old cast iron Milestones made in the borough at Haigh Foundry - WW Album:

Milestone at Charnock Richard and Milestone at Duxbury

Ah..... but can anyone tell me why they have the crow's foot marking at the bottom?

It's nowt to do with the MoD either.

Ordnance Survey markers????

Yes indeed, Broady. Early 20th century benchmark put there by an ordnance survey chappie.

Thanks, Joseph and Broady - I had a vague notion it was some kind of water level mark.

'The Bench Mark Database holds information and recent photographs of Ordnance Survey bench marks in Britain. Milestones and other wayside markers were often used as secure and stable locations for survey marks and there is cross referencing between items held in the Bench Mark database and the Milestone Society database.'

www.bench-marks.org.uk/

I think all the datum recorded on OS maps is based on the Sea Level at Newlyn in Cornwall which is 0 ft.

Thanks, Broady - Ordnance Datum

jo anne, there is an ancient one that the stone wall of the RAEI on Wigan Lane was built around, it is that old that the inscriptions (if any were put on initially) have all eroded away to leave just a smooth faced arched stone, some local historians say that it dates back to the Roman times.

A few years ago I saw a van parked up close to the railway bridge at Boars Head and two young men were digging up the cast iron mile post, I phoned the council informing them and said they may be digging this up for scrap, as iron road gully covers were disappearing for scrap at the time, however a little while later I got a phone call back to say it was bona fide and that the mile post was being taken away for restoration, it looked very good too when replaced.

dustaf has put a photo on of this one.

Thanks, Ayrefield, I can't picture the ancient stone of RAEI - I'll look out for it when I'm next near.

It was good of you to ring the council about the metal mile post - I think they're worth safeguarding.

Wed 3rd Sept, 7.30pm - link

Mileposts and Boundary Markers in Lancashire is the subject of a talk by John Armstrong for The Wigan Archaeological Society

The Wigan Archaeological Society meet on the first Wednesday of the month, at 7.30pm, at the Standish Suite at the Brocket Arms in Wigan, for lectures and discussions on topics of historical or archaeological interest.

Monthly meetings: Members - £2, Guests - £3
Annual Subscription: Single - £10, Family - £15

The Standish Suite, The Brocket Arms, 38 Mesnes Rd, Wigan WN1 2DD

I USED to be one of those chappies referred to one of my many duties was to create ones if needed ,also the person broady who said they the bench marks are a true fact of the height and at that particular is spot on I have been down to NEWLYN scores of times it's referre to by us O/S guys as "THE TIDE GUAGE LEVEL" the heights used by the one in photo gives you an accurate height,but has anyone SEEN THE "BRASS/GUNMETAL ONES NORMALLY SET IN AND ON THE FACES OF MORE STABLE STRUCTURES IE , CHURCHES, RAIL W/BRIDGES OLD COUNCIL TYPE BUILDINGS, WHENEVER YOU SEE THOSE THE MEASUREMENT TAKEN AT THOSE FALL INTO 3 CATEGORIES.
( 1 ) TERTIARY.
( 2 ) SECONDARY.
( 3 ) GOE-DETIC
The latter was measurement's to highest level.
No 2 is what in the photo would be used for a slight lower accuracy,
No1 was mainly a quick measurement at again a lower accuracy,
THIS does not mean that the VALUES were in any way not accurate it all depended on the particular area of what was needed.
I hope you found this interesting.

Thanks, Golden Bear, I can't recall the brass/gunmetal ones on churches, railway bridges etc, but I'll look out for them now you've mentioned them.

Yesterday's Photo-a-Day: 89.1/4 miles by Ron Dawber - Towpath near New Springs.

Comments by Dostaf on 28th Nov 2014:

"Mile markers are very interesting. there are also half and quarter ones too, in places. The L&L was originally 127 1/4 miles long.

As the markers effectively start from the Liverpool end, No1 is 1 mile from Liverpool and 126 1/4 miles from Leeds etc etc. Surprisingly, the one at the pier is wrongly placed. It should actually be near the Pagefield lock"

Dostaf's Link: www.towpathtreks.co.uk - Mileposts

From Leigh Journal (21/1/15):

'A historic boundary stone dating back to 1857 is due to be reinstated in Leigh.

The stone, which once marked the old parish boundary between Pennington and Bedford, was discovered by a member of the public who spotted it lying on the ground during construction work in Ince last year.'

I never realised Pennington and Bedford were adjacent but I'm not from Leigh.

It's not an area I'm familiar with either, Kenee, I wonder how the stone came to be in Ince?

I don't know...

perhaps Tonker will enlighten us!

The stone features on today's Photo-a-Day: Boundary stone by Roy Hesketh

'This shot was taken after the boundary stone had been unearthed during the demolition of the old railway arches in Leigh to make way for the new bus lane and road working.'

Leigh Journal News Story

So near, and yet so tarred!

I think the Ince boundary stone in Lily Lane, Platt Bridge, has been stolen!


Kenee and joanne - the shopping area known as Leigh town centre is actually Pennington. I was told that by a real Leyther who knows a bit about Leyth and is Peawapp's mate!

I think the Ince boundary stone in Lily Lane, Platt Bridge, has been stolen!

I didn't know about that, Tonker, hope not!

Well, I'm sure it's gone! and I reckon Wigan council are responsible too!