Milepost West of Gelly Copse Cottage (Ngr Sx1909764205)

This is a cast iron milepost located west of Gelly Copse Cottage, dating from around 1820. It has a rectangular shape with a rounded head, featuring relief lettering in Roman capitals that curves around the distance. The west face indicates a distance of 4 ½ miles to Liskeard, while the east face shows 7 miles to Lostwithiel. The milepost is positioned on the north side of the road against a Cornish hedge and was originally painted white, with the lettering highlighted in black.

The milepost is part of a series established by the Liskeard Turnpike Trust, which was formed by an Act of Parliament in 1769. Between 1823 and 1826, the trust improved its route from Liskeard to Plymouth and installed several cast iron posts, including this one, which is one of three located to the west of Liskeard. The Liskeard Turnpike Trust was unique in Cornwall for using cast iron for mileposts, particularly along this section of its east-west route.

This milepost is designated for its rarity as a cast iron example in a region where most way markers were made from granite. It remains in its original location and is intact, serving as a notable illustration of early 19th-century milepost design and the standardization of roads to meet the transport demands of Cornwall's industrial growth during that period.