Milestone Set Into Garden Wall Of Milestone House

This is a milestone dating from 1761, set into a garden wall associated with Milestone House in Gerrans. The milestone is made of granite and has a rectangular plan with a rounded top, standing approximately 1.2 metres high. It is painted white, with black lettering on the south-facing side, which originally faced the road. The inscription reads “ST MAWES / 4¾ / TREGONY / 6¼”, indicating distances in miles to those locations.

The milestone is one of a series erected by the Creed, Tregony and St Just Turnpike Trust, established by an Act of Parliament in 1761 to improve roads. Milestones on the section of road between Dennis Water and Tregony were triangular, while those between Tregony and St Mawes, like this example, were rectangular. Variations in the inscription style suggest local carving may have been employed for each milestone.

Historical maps show that the turnpike originally ran north of Trewithian, bypassing the village. The road was later realigned to pass through the village. When the turnpike's route changed in the early 19th century, the milestone was likely re-sited and the inscription re-carved to reflect altered distances; an Ordnance Survey map from around 1880 recorded slightly different distances to St Mawes and Tregony compared to those on the stone.

The milestone is designated at Grade II for its intactness, as a surviving example from 1761. It is significant as a testament to 18th-century road improvements and for the historical record of its relocation. It also possesses group value alongside other milestones erected by the Creed, Tregony and St Just Turnpike Trust.