Summary
A milestone of around 1840, marking 23 miles from London, on the former Eastbourne Road.
Reasons for Designation
Milestone 23 of around 1840, marking 23 miles from London, on the former Eastbourne Road is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* as an example of a stone milestone of around 1840, retaining its original form and lettering.
Historic interest:
* milestone 23 is an increasingly rare example of the many milestones that were erected to manage the operation of a network of independent C18 and C19 turnpikes, connecting London to the South Coast.
Group value:
* with the nine other Grade II-listed milestones on the route from London to Eastbourne, which collectively form a legible sequence, including examples of differing materials, styles and dates.
History
Milestones, along with mileposts and guideposts, are one of the most widespread forms of street furniture. Roads undergo such considerable alteration that they can be of particular note as testaments to the development of our transport network, and as reminders of the different perceptions of distance in a pre-motorised age. Milestones became prevalent in the mid-C18 when turnpike trusts were encouraged to provide such markers. Initially they were carved out of stone and a variety of forms are still evident around the country.
Many important routes across Surrey were created or enhanced in the C18 or C19 to facilitate longer-distance overland travel. New and improved roads required new infrastructure like bridges and causeways, as well as milestones to inform travellers of relevant distances. Most were created and maintained by turnpike trusts, bodies established by Acts of Parliament that collected tolls from road users. From 1767, mileposts were compulsory on all turnpikes, not only to inform travellers of direction and distances, but to help coaches keep to schedule and for charging for changes of horses at the coaching inns. The distances were also used to calculate postal charges before the uniform postal rate was introduced in 1840. At the height of the turnpike era, there were 20,000 miles of roads with milestones. Milestone 23 was probably erected by the Godstone and Highgate Turnpike Trust around 1840 as part of a series of trusts providing a route from London to Eastbourne and marks the distance to the Cornhill Standard in the City of London.
There are nine other Grade II-listed milestones on the London to Eastbourne route. Three stone milestones further north dated 1744, another outside 362 Godstone Road, Kenley (around 15 miles from London) and two wooden examples at around 35 miles south-east of London. A further three in the sequence stand north and south of Milestone 23 (milestones 22 and 24-25). Because of bypassing work over time, others may exist on what are now B roads.
Details
A milestone of around 1840, marking 23 miles from London, on the former Eastbourne Road.
MATERIALS: stone.
DESCRIPTION: the rectangular milestone stands on the west side of the A22 around 200m north of its junction with Water Lane. The milestone is around 0.6m in height and 0.25m in width and depth. It is rough-hewn from a single piece of stone, has straight sides and a flat top. The visible face is inscribed and reads: 23 / MILES / FROM / CORNHILL.
