Milestone And Cover Plate 45 Metres South West Of Ivy Cottage

Milestone and cover plate located 45 metres southwest of Ivy Cottage, dating from the 18th century and early 19th century. Made of limestone and cast iron, the milestone is angled to the road so that the inscribed surfaces face north and west, although the inscriptions are concealed by the cover plate. The north vertical face of the cover plate is embossed with 'Ingatestone 1', the west vertical face reads 'Chelmsford 5', and the inclined surface above states 'To London 24 Margaretting'. This design of cover plate was initiated by James McAdam and adopted by the Essex Trust for this turnpike road in 1819 to reduce the costs associated with recutting inscriptions. The milestone is also depicted in Chapman and Andre's map of 1777.