Milepost

This is a milepost from the early 19th century, made of cast iron by Bendall at the Lawford Ironworks in Manningtree. The milepost has a triangular shape with a spur extending from the base to the flat top, which features a curved head. The front face indicates the distance to London as 60 miles, with the left side showing 9 miles to Colchester and the right side showing 12 miles to Harwich. A label on the spur identifies Bendall as iron and brass founders, plough and machine makers from Lawford, Essex, with the year 1834 noted. The Lawford Ironworks, established by O. Bendall in the early 19th century, later became J.R.M. Fitch, closed in 1971, and were subsequently demolished.