Milestone 9 Mile, Near Beech House, 52 Main Street, Lisnakea, BT92 0JD

The milestone is one of an original set of 17 milestones that marked intervals of one Irish mile from Enniskillen to the border of Fermanagh along the mail coach road, which extended through Cavan to Dublin. Erected between c1810 and c1835, 12 of the series survive, of which two have been relocated and one is already listed. The milestones in the set are carved from local limestone and are square in plan, rising just over 1m. The milestones vary slightly in design, the individual, uneven vernacular quality suggesting the work of local craftsmen. Generally, they gently taper to form an elongated prism; in some, this is less pronounced. While the front and rear elevations are flush, the side elevations are more often profiled, stepping out at a low level to define a base and overhanging at the top with a roll that tapers upward to a crown profile, completing an ornate terminus. The milestone is nine Irish miles from Enniskillen, located on the Main Street in Lisnaskea. The stone leans against the boundary wall of Beech House, a listed dwelling house (HB12/03/024) that dates from c1845 (although the boundary wall is likely of an earlier date). The stone no longer bears any visible distance information but would have originally displayed the distances 71.5 miles to Dublin and 16.5 miles to Cavan in addition to the distance from Enniskillen. It is possible the stone was turned around as the finish to the face of the stone resembles that of the rear of the other stones. Various explanations for this are offered in the historical account. HB references for the collection of 12 Milestones along the former coach road to Dublin from Enniskillen 1 mile HB12/17/085 Nr 11 LOUGH YOAN ROAD, ENNISKILLEN, BT74 4GR 3 mile HB12/07/056 Nr 4 GOLA ROAD, TAMLAGHT, ENNISKILLEN, BT74 4AF 5 mile HB12/07/057 Nr 147 FARNAMULLAN ROAD, LISBELLAW, BT94 5EA 8 mil e HB12/05/056 (Record Only) Nr 338 GOLA ROAD, LISNASKEA, BT92 0FE 9 mile HB12/03/059 Nr BEECH HOUSE, 52 MAIN STREET, LISNASKEA, BT92 0JD 10 mile HB12/03/040 KILLYCRUTTEN, CO.FERMANAGH H3693 3238 11 mile HB12/03/060 Nr 87 CROM ROAD, LISNASKEA, BT92 0BZ 13 mile HB12/02/123 Nr 214 CROM ROAD, NEWTOWNBUTLER, BT92 8BE 14 mile HB12/02/124 Nr 252 CROM ROAD, NEWTOWNBUTLER, BT92 8GD 15 mile HB12/02/125 (Record Only) Nr 300 CROM ROAD, NEWTOWNBUTLER, BT92 8JL 16 mile HB12/02/126 Nr 349 CROM ROAD, NEWTOWNBUTLER, BT92 8GH 17 mile HB12/02/127 Nr 193 WATTLEBRIDGE ROAD, NEWTOWNBUTLER, BT92 8EG