Bright winter sunshine welcomed 36 members and one guest to our January luncheon, the first of 2026.
Members enjoyed a delicious lunch starting with smoked salmon, followed by chicken in a chorizo cream sauce and blackberry cheesecake for dessert.
Hilary Jones, our speaker, then gave us an interesting illustrated talk about the story of milestones.
A curiosity gained when cycling past milestones, Hilary discovered and joined the Milestone Society. Formed 25 years ago, it encourages everyone to look after milestones, which were becoming neglected, vandalised and damaged by vehicles.
Hilary talked about the history of milestones, boundary markers and finger posts, from the Roman times to the present day. Originally marking 1000 paces, they evolved to show distance for toll charges by local landowners who provided and maintained turnpike roads.
Coming in many forms and materials, and some now being Grade II listed, volunteers restore them to their original form of white with black lettering, chosen to enable them to be seen in the dark before the days of streetlighting.
