Summary
Milestone, 1833-1834, erected for the Doncaster and Selby Turnpike Trust.
Reasons for Designation
This milestone, erected around 1833 to 1834 is recommended for listing at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* a classically-inspired, rectangular section limestone pillar, with a gabled head that exhibits good quality tooling;
* pre-dating 1850, it belongs to a period when structures that retain a significant proportion of their original fabric are considered to be of special interest;
* the inscribed lettering is legible, with valid distances as it stands in its original position.
Historic interest:
* a relatively rare example of pre-1850 milestone;
* the milestone is illustrative of a late-Georgian road development that was opened in 1834, to improve transport links between Doncaster and Selby.
Group value:
* it benefits from a strong spatial and functional group value with other contemporary milestones and structures along the route of the former Doncaster and Selby Turnpike.
History
The Doncaster and Selby Turnpike Trust was established by a statute enacted on 6 June 1832 and it was responsible for creating a 19 mile long road between the two towns, following a low-lying route that crossed the flood plains of the River Don and the River Aire. The turnpike opened in 1834 and was controlled by four toll gates and the route was marked by 18 milestones numbered 15 to 32 southwards from Brayton to Bentley, as shown on the first edition one-inch Ordnance Survey map (1841). The milestone at Chapel Haddlesey is number 18 in the sequence and remains in its original location. The milestones are all of the same basic design and a number are listed at Grade II: Brayton (National Heritage List for England (NHLE) 1365809); Burn (NHLE 1296820); Kellington (NHLE 1430182), Owston (NHLE 1151476); Toll Bar Bentley (NHLE 1151491), and Bentley (NHLE 1191834). In addition, other structures built by the Trust are also listed at Grade II including: Causeway, Bentley (NHLE 1151490), Went and Ings Dike Bridges (NHLE 1148365 and 1192231), and Toll Bar Cottage, Norton Common (NHLE 1151466).
Details
Milestone, 1833-1834, erected for the Doncaster and Selby Turnpike Trust.
MATERIALS: Magnesian limestone.
DESCRIPTION: a limestone pillar with a rectangular section and a gabled head. The front has an ashlar surface inscribed: DONCASTER / 15 MILES/ ASKERN 8½ / SELBY 4½ / York 19, above a chamfered plinth, with horizontal furrowed surfaces. The top edge of the plinth is lower to the front than at the sides. Each side has a sunken rectangular panel, as if it had been intended to receive a metal plate, although there is no evidence to indicate they were ever fitted. The rear of the left-hand panel has a raised vertical edge. The rear of the stone is blank and is exposed in the sloping bank of the roadside ditch.
