Summary

A cast-iron milepost, erected probably around 1818.

Description

A cast-iron milepost, erected probably around 1818.

DESCRIPTION: it consists of a cylindrical-fluted base onto which is surmounted a tall, fluted cast-iron shaft with decorative enrichment of bud-like form to the lower section. The shaft supports decorative wrought-iron scrollwork arms with simple acanthus leaf embellishment. These support an early-C21 wooden place name board (original not extant). At the top of the shaft there is further acanthus leaf decorative work.

History

The Stratford-upon-Avon to Long Compton Turnpike Trust was established by Act of Parliament in 1729 and a turnpiked road was subsequently established from Bridge Town in the parish of Old Stratford to the top of Long Compton Hill. An Account and Minute Book of March 1790 records that ‘Triangular Mile Posts be set up along the road with two iron plates to each of them setting forth the distance from London and Oxford’. The mileposts do not, however, appear to have been erected until around 1818 when an Act was passed which included provisions for the turnpike to be extended from Long Compton to the Inn at Chapel House to the south-east, along a new stretch of road also sanctioned in the same Act. A milepost (Shipston on Stour 7) in the same sequence is depicted on this new stretch of road on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1887, but does not seems to be extant.

The milepost (London 85) at SP 25351 45357, to the south of Stepstone Bridge in the parish of Tredington is depicted on the 1887 Ordnance Survey map which records the distances as Stratford-on-Avon 7, Shipston-on-Stour 3. The 1905 map shows 7¼ and 3 miles respectively. The milepost was restored in 2017.

Reasons for Listing

The milepost 187m south of Stepstone Bridge, Tredington is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* it has an unusually ornate and visual design which is enriched with decorative scrollwork.

Historic interest:

* as testament to the wave of road improvement and the introduction of turnpikes which facilitated the transport needs of this part of Warwickshire in the C18 and C19.

Group value:

* it is one of a series of almost identical mileposts built for this turnpike trust along this national route, of which six are known to survive.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26275002

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)