Milestone South East Of Entrance To Wyards Farm

ALTON

903/0/10038 BASINGSTOKE ROAD 04-SEP-06 BEECH MILESTONE SOUTH EAST OF ENTRANCE TO WY ARDS FARM

GV II Milestone of early C19 date. It is a square Portland stone pillar with a domed top and it has two cast iron plaques affixed to its sides. The inscription on the north west facing plaque reads 'Alton 1' and that on the south west reads 'B'stoke 10'. HISTORY: This milestone marks the turnpike road between Alton and Basingstoke, which was given its first turnpiking authorisation by an Act of Parliament in 1795, and which was renewed in 1816. This also required the erection of milestones along its route, and this stone was probably erected soon after the Act was passed. The first edition OS map suggests that it is still in its original location.

SUMMARY OF IMPORTANCE: Milestones are of special interest as they are among the few physical remains of national and local historic road use. The turnpike roads created in C18 and C19 were a very important development in British road transport, and the milestones and other road furnishings accompanying them are important reminders of that. This milestone survives well and marks the turnpike road between Alton and Basingstoke. It forms a group with another surviving milestone (separately listed) and together they form a significant survival of the stones that would originally have marked each mile between the two towns.

SOURCES:Albert, W, The Turnpike Road System in England 1663-1840 (Cambridge, 1972). Haines, C, Marking the Miles - A History of English Milestones (Norwich, 2000).