Building record 1472100000 - Milepost on old A404

Summary

18th to 19th Century milepost or milestone on old A404 south of High Wycombe

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Map

Type and Period (1)

  • MILEPOST (18th Century to 19th Century - 1700 AD? to 1899 AD?)

Description

Probable eighteenth to nineteenth century century metal milepost just south of High Wycombe on old A404 Daws Hill Lane next to electricity substation. Not on current OS but on 'All Historic Layers' database as Milestone with bench mark. Confirmed by handwritten notes on OS 1" map (1835 ) were in Bucks County Museum now in Centre for Bucks Studies. Museum number47 sheet XLVII. Inscription: Marlow 4 : Wycombe 1. On High Wycombe to Marlow (F4) route. On page 6 of notes. Also page F of same notes under Mile Stones [ Hatfield ] Chenies to Henley - " Gout Track ". Number 1 on 1" OS (1835 ). Recorded as not found 1987. [Handwritten notes consulted in HER] (B1).
In Peter Gullands extensive study of The Toll Roads of Buckinghamshire 1706-1881 2017 with their connections into neighbouring counties this is on The Reading and Hatfield Turnpike Road 1767 p.175 road 13. Mostly A422 today. The original milestones were placed by Lord Cecil of Hatfield House as they predate the Trust in 1770. 2 survive as gateposts in Flackwell Heath and 2 as driveway ornaments in Terriers and one from Little Chalfont is in Chilterns Open Air Museum. May be "gout route" but shorter routes exist. These were replaced by 50 milestones with capital letters then with cast iron mileposts with triangular cross section early 19th century date. Distance to Hatfield on all of them on top 3 survive in Bucks. Sources suggest 230 possible milemarkers in Bucks in modern records of 116 survive. In WW2 milestones were removed some never got back occasionally put back in wrong place. This trust was a complete road orbiting north and west London between Hatfield and Reading it has now broken up several different roads. PG feels that "gout track " is not a historic term he finds no record until 19th C. After the trusts closed in the 1880s and 1890s Highway Authourities district or county or parish gradually replaced some of milemarkers on some roads with metal posts that the Milestones Society calls Bucks Pressings. Standardised wih 2 white faces and black paint inscriptions. [Copy in HER ] (B2).

Sources (2)

  • <1>SBC24230 Unpublished document: Dr Gimson. Undated. Manuscript notes on milestones compiled by Dr Gimson. museum no. 47 sheet XLVII page 6 and page F.
  • <2>SBC24947 Bibliographic reference: Peter Gulland. 2017. The Toll Roads of Buckinghamshire 1706-1881: With their Connections into Neighbouring Counties. p.175 road 13.

Location

Grid reference SU 86065 91944 (point)
Civil Parish HIGH WYCOMBE, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

Apr 30 2024 11:36AM

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