Milestone Approximately 309M East Of Gwealdues Hotel

The milestone dates from approximately 1833 and is constructed of stone. It has a triangular plan and sits on a rectangular base with broach stops at the corners. The milestone stands approximately 1.24 metres high and is painted white. The left face is inscribed with the letters “HELSTON / 1 / PENZANCE / 14”, and the right face “FALMOUTH / 11 / TRURO / 15 ¾”, all picked out in black paint. The base of the stone is painted black. An incised benchmark is located to the right of centre on the front of the base. The front edge of the stone shows some erosion from traffic, so the letters at the extreme edges of the inscription are now painted onto the eroded edge.

From the mid-18th century, turnpike trusts were encouraged to provide markers such as milestones to identify routes they maintained. The Helston Turnpike Trust, established by Act of Parliament in 1760, created routes from Falmouth, through Penryn to Helston and Marazion. Records from 1766 indicate that milestone inscriptions were already proving unsatisfactory and requiring replacement. This milestone’s style suggests a date of circa 1833, similar to milestones set up by the same trust on a new section of road west of Helston, at Breage, in that year. It is likely that this stone, and others along the earlier route, also date from circa 1833. The road on which the milestone stands was recently slightly re-aligned, placing it approximately 9 metres from the road edge. The milestone's location is marked on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1880.

The milestone circa 309 metres east of Gwealdues Hotel on the A394 at Wendron is designated at Grade II because it is an intact milestone dating from 1833, remaining in its original location. It also has group value with other listed milestones along this turnpike route, and it demonstrates the significant 18th-century road improvement initiatives undertaken by Turnpike Trusts.