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The Moving Milestone - The metal sign found in the back hedge of a garden

The Moving Milestone

Last year I came across a Milestone in Penwortham.  It was puzzling.  Whilst the black painted metal plate looked quite authentic, the brickwork pedestal was very unorthodox.  It was not on a main historical route and there was no evidence of it on old maps.  I saw whilst walking along Church Avenue in Penwortham, Lancashire.  Up until the early part of the 20th century, this spot was in the grounds of Penwortham Priory, which was demolished in 1925 to make way for housing.


Last year I came across a Milestone in Penwortham - It was puzzling
Last year I came across a Milestone in Penwortham - It was puzzling


Penwortham Priory was first a Benedictine priory and, after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, a country house.  The house was demolished as the village expanded into a town and a housing estate has replaced the mansion house and its grounds of which no trace remain.

Before 1086, William the Conqueror gave this area of Lancashire to his relative, Roger the Poitevin.  A small castle was built on the hill in Penwortham overlooking the river crossing and the castle mound (the motte) can still be seen behind St Mary's church.  Roger gave land to the Benedictine Evesham Abbey and a small daughter cell was built at Penwortham, starting in 1075.  The priory, dedicated to Saint Mary, had no independence from Evesham but functioned until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1535.

Once seized, the priory and its lands were sold to the Fleetwood family at a price of £3,088.  The Fleetwoods built a mansion on the site which took the name of Penwortham Priory.  The family continued to live there until 1749.  After that ownership passed to the Rawsthorne family, who lived at the Priory from 1783 and in the mid-19th century they employed the architect George Webster to redesign the house.

Penwortham Priory - A Mansion on the site of the former St. Mary's Priory


A Milestone in Penwortham - The brickwork pedestal was very unorthodox.
A Milestone in Penwortham - The brickwork pedestal was very unorthodox 


I often contribute to the Milestone Society Facebook Group.  Whilst the Milestone is very unconventional, I thought that other members might find it interesting.  A number where, like me, curious about how it got there and asked questions about it in comments.

That prompted me to ask about it in the local Penwortham Past & Present Facebook Group.  To my surprise, a number of people seemed to know about the history of its wanderings.


A local resident came back with the following comment:

"The metal sign was found in the back hedge of our garden, 20 years ago. Having spoken to the church officials, we had the sign sandblasted and repainted."

The metal sign was found in the back hedge of a garden, 20 years ago
The metal sign was found in the back hedge of a garden, 20 years ago


Another member posted a picture of the 'workmen' in the comments too, saying:

"Here is a picture of my father in law Arthur Duffell (right) and his brother Joe Duffell (both sadly no longer with us) putting the sign in place where it now lives 💙💙"

Arthur Duffell (right) and brother Joe Duffell putting the sign in place on Church Avenue in Penwortham, Lancashire
Arthur Duffell (right) and brother Joe Duffell putting the sign in place


It should be in front of Salvatore's on Liverpool Road in Penwortham.  It was the next in the sequence from the one on Broadgate, from a time when you had to go to the old bridge in Middleforth to get across the River Ribble in that area.

Penwortham End - The Milestone's original location on Liverpool Road
Penwortham End - The Milestone's original location on Liverpool Road

It was nice of everybody involved to tidy it up and reinstate it, albeit in the wrong location.  Maybe one day it can work its way back to its rightful home?


A Milestone in Penwortham - The brickwork pedestal was very unorthodox
A Milestone in Penwortham - The brickwork pedestal was very unorthodox


In modern day terms, that is here:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/pC55eBNgEtdnBrs8A


An admin from the Milestone Society group, suggested that it was "illegally obtained" and dumped for collection at a later date. Also saying, "It will be pretty heavy. Great that the homeowner took responsibility for it and had it looked after."


Current Location

Grid Reference: SD 52324 28768

Grid Reference (6 figure): SD523287

X (Easting) , Y (Northing): 352324 , 428768

Latitude , Longitude (decimal): 53.753086 , -2.724512

Latitude , Longitude (degs, mins, secs): 53°45′11″N , 002°43′28″W

What3Words: ///broken.boss.blitz

Postcode (nearest): PR1 0AH


Also see: https://www.pic2map.com/vrygvy.html

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How would it have originally looked?

To my knowledge, the only remaining original milestone from the historical route intact in the correct location is the one on Broadgate next to the River Ribble in Preston.  I have a question mark over the metal plate, because I have seen pictures of it without the plate taken several years ago.  It is either a new plate, or the original one was away for 'cleaning'. 

A remaining original milestone from the historical route on Broadgate next to the River Ribble in Preston
A milestone from the historical route on Broadgate in Preston

The Liverpool to Preston Turnpike Trust was formed by an Act of Parliament in 1771, the same year the Leeds-Liverpool Canal came into being.

The road passed through the parishes or townships of Liverpool; Kirkdale; Walton; Fazackerley; Sephton; Aintree; Maghull; Lydiate; Aughton; Ormskirk; Burscough; Lathom; Rufford; Sollom; Tarleton; Bretherton; Much Hoole; Little Hoole; Longton; Hutton; Howick; Penwortham and Preston.

The Trustees came from various groups within each district. Trustee and Attorney at Law John Shaw Leigh, who leased Childwall Hall, Wavertree from the Gascoyne family, played a considerable role in the widening of much of the turnpike close to Walton.

At the other end of the Liverpool to Preston Turnpike was Penwortham Hall (Penwortham Priory). Colonel Lawrence Rawstorne lived at the Hall and was a trustee of the Turnpike Trust.


Further reading and sources of information


Penwortham Priory on an Ordnance Survey Map of 1912:

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17.5&lat=53.75426&lon=-2.72586&layers=168&right=ESRIWorld

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The Milestone Society:

https://www.milestonesociety.co.uk/

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The Lancashire roads we drive every day that used to be toll roads
LancsLive:

https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/lancashire-roads-drive-every-day-19784106

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Location: Church Ave, Penwortham, Preston PR1, UK

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