The Pillar of Salt Road Sign
THE PILLAR OF SALT ROAD SIGN, ANGEL HILL
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1376516
- Date first listed:
- 17-Sept-1998
- List Entry Name:
- The Pillar of Salt Road Sign
- Statutory Address:
- THE PILLAR OF SALT ROAD SIGN, ANGEL HILL
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2006-07-14
- Reference:
- IOE01/15176/31
- Rights:
- © Mr Richard Storey. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1376516
- Date first listed:
- 17-Sept-1998
- List Entry Name:
- The Pillar of Salt Road Sign
- Statutory Address 1:
- THE PILLAR OF SALT ROAD SIGN, ANGEL HILL
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- THE PILLAR OF SALT ROAD SIGN, ANGEL HILL
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Suffolk
- District:
- West Suffolk (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Bury St. Edmunds
- National Grid Reference:
- TL 85512 64228
Details
TL 8564 SE
639-1/8/10001
BURY ST EDMUNDS
ANGEL HILL
The Pillar of Salt Road Sign
GV
II
Road sign. 1935. By Basil Oliver, architect to Bury St Edmunds Town Council. Whitewashed concrete and metal. International Modern style.
Large octagonal pier has austere slightly oversailing lantern on top and projecting box-framed road signs in three directions. It stands on a plinth with steps and small corner octagonal piers. The 'Pillar of Salt', as it is known, forms the centre point of a very significant group of listed buildings and stands close to the former Abbey gatehouse.
HISTORY. The Town Council went to great lengths to find something worthy of this important location when increased motor traffic made signing essential. Basil Oliver advised on the design and at the time when road signs were being standardised under the 1933 Regulations, this sign is individual and probably unique. It was approved by the Ministry of Transport in June 1935 subject to the letters and road numbers being 5" high. This was a compromise since the new standard was for letters 4.5" high and numbers 6" high.
Listing NGR: TL8551264228
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 470518
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Statham, M, The Book of Bury St Edmunds, (1988)
Ministry of Transport, , The History of Traffic Signs, (1991)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 05-Jun-2026 at 20:07:12.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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