Milestone Circa 60M East Of Roundabout

KENWYN

1044/0/10009 A390, TRESAWLS ROAD 14-FEB-11 (North side) Milestone circa 60m east of roundabout

GV II DESCRIPTION: The milestone dates from circa 1754, and is of stone. It is rectangular in plan, stands approximately 0.94m high, with a segmental-arched top, and is painted white. The stone is inscribed with the letters FROM / TRURO / 2 / MILES, which are picked out in black paint. The letters are sans serif capitals.

HISTORY: From the mid-C18 onwards, turnpike trusts were encouraged to provide markers such as milestones and mileposts on the stretches of roads they operated. The Truro Turnpike Trust, the first in Cornwall, was established by Act of Parliament in 1754 and this milestone stands on the former turnpike road from Truro to Chacewater and Redruth, one of the six routes specifically mentioned in the 1754 Act. The modern route to the west bears north of the original route at Threemilestone, a mile north of this milestone; but the original turnpike, on which this stone stands, ran through Chacewater and Scorrier and thence to Redruth. The milestone is marked in its present location on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1880. The Truro Turnpike Minute Book in 1825 records that milestones on this route should be recut and repainted, indicating that this was part of their regular maintenance. The current lettering may therefore date from the early C19.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: The milestone circa 60m east of the roundabout on the A390 at Kenwyn is recommended designated at Grade II, for the following principal reasons: * Intactness: It is an intact milestone dating from 1754, which remains in its original position * Group Value: it has group value with other listed milestones along this turnpike route * Historic Interest: it testifies to the great wave of C18 road improvement, undertaken by Turnpike Trusts