"The Great Essex Road"

London (Whitechapel Church) to Harwich - 70½ miles

 

"The Great Essex Road" survivors.

The "Great Essex Road" from London to Harwich followed what was to become the A12 as far as Colchester and then followed what are now the A137 and B1352 to Harwich.  The original starting point (as used by John Ogilby 1675) in London was from The Standard in Cornhill but later measurements were taken from Whitechapel Church on the eastern boundary of the City of London. 

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The drawing was taken from an engraving on a parish map of 1599, kept at the City of London Guildhall Library.  Click on image for larger picture..

 

 The Standard in Cornhill.

It is likely that the original it may have been erected some time after 1378, when at a common Council it was decided to consider means to be taken for the repair of the conduit and carrying it up to the cross-ways on the top of Cornhill.  In 1582 Peter Morris of Germany made the water cistern that had four spouts.  It was supplied by lead pipes from the River Thames.  Its location was at the junction of Cornhill and Bishopsgate, Gracechurch and Leadenhall Streets.  Although defunct by c.1600, the Standard was probably still standing when John Ogilby published his strip maps in 1674.  The Standard was used by Ogilby as the point of measurement for all routes out of London including The Great Essex Road to Harwich.
aldgate pump 1880.jpg (22799 bytes) On the corner with Fenchurch Street and Aldgate was is the Aldgate Pump dated 1870-1. The photo shows it as in 1880.  An earlier pump was located to the east and it is believed that was that one from which measurements were taken on routes into Middlesex and Essex from the 1700s.

Click on image for larger picture..

 As Middlesex encircled the north of the City the first milestone in Essex along the route was placed at Stratford.  The change of starting point explains changes in mileage between 17th, 18th and 19th century mapping.  Similarly, a slight shortening of the route past Colchester meant moving markers towards the west from Manningtree to Harwich.

Although the first turnpike act began with the Act of 1663 it would be another three decades before the turnpikes reached Essex roads. The road between Shenfield and Ingatestone, now the A1023 and B1002, was one of the first, if not the first, turnpike in Essex, being adopted by the Essex Trust in 1695.

No surviving milestones, milesposts or mile plates have so far been recorded along the first 18 miles out of London (The Middlesex and Essex Turnpike Trust) into Essex.  A good series exists from Brentwood to Margaretting with only one lost out of eight.  The Tendering Hundred north east of Colchester is fortunate in having fourteen recorded on the route continuation to Harwich.

Click on the thumbnails for larger image.  Details of each marker will be completed as time allows.

All photographs on this page by Sue Adams (SA), Richard Mudhar (RM) and John V Nicholls (JVN)

 

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Brentwood  (JVN)

NGR: TQ 5977 9396

 Milestone. LONDON 18.  100 m east of Brentwood High Street on Shenfield Road (A1023) outside the Brentwood Theatre.  18 miles from/to London.  Early 18th century example with feint Roman numerals discernable.

 

Grade II listed

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Shenfield  (JVN)

NGR: TQ 6172 9637

 Milestone. LONDON 20.  Opposite 179 Chelmsford Road (A1023).  20 miles to/from London.  Reshaped and rotated 135 degrees - "XX" to be seen on back face.  Broken top repaired in (?) 1950s. 

 

Grade II listed
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Mountnessing  (SA)

NGR: TQ 6274 9747

19th century milepost fronting 18th century milestone.  LONDON 21.  Outside of 306 Roman Road (B1002).  Cracked and held together with bolts and plates.  Stone 18th century and plate probably c.1819.

 

Grade II listed

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Heybridge (Ingatestone)  (JVN)

NGR: TQ 6393 9856

19th century milepost fronting 18th century milestone.  LONDON 22.  In good condition.  Evidence of lettering on stone easily discernable.

Unlisted

 
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Ingatestone  (JVN)

NGR: TQ 6508 9964

Mile plate only. LONDON 23. Between 74 and 76 High Street (B1002).  Good condition.

 

Grade II listed

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Margaretting  (JVN)

NGR: TL 6611 0089

19th century milepost fronting 18th century milestone.  LONDON 24. On B1002 45 m SW of Ivy Cottage.  Good condition except for small hole.  Top of stone broken off.

 

Grade II listed
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Margaretting  (SA)

NGR: TL 6735 0175

19th century milepost fronting 18th century milestone. LONDON 25. Opposite "The Spread Eagle" PH on B1002.  Stone devoid of any inscription.  Plate repaired in 2002 after attempted theft.

Unlisted

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Hatfield Peverell  (SA)

NGR: TL 7782 1132

Milepost.  LONDON 34

 
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Hatfield Peverell  (SA)

NGR: TL 7924 1183

Milepost. LONDON 35.

 

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Witham  (JVN)

NGR: TL 8270 1520

Mile plate in front of milestone.  LONDON 38

A second milestone (37 miles from London) in Witham has been lost since 1987.

 
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Lexden  (SA)

NGR: TL 9660 2520.

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Colchester  (JVN)

NGR: TM 0011 2358

This obelisk, now used as a grave marker in Colchester Cemetery, formerly stood in Colchester High Street.  Although speculative, this may have been used as the Colchester milestone.  Further research required to prove its former use.  Click on thumbnail for more information.

New image added showing that the obelisk WAS a milestone.
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Colchester (JVN)

NGR: TM 0116 2554

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Ardleigh [JVN]

NGR:  TM 0116 2554

Milepost fronting milestone.
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Ardleigh  (SA)

NGR: TM 0437 8879

Milepost without stone.

Grade II listed

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Ardleigh  (SA)

NGR: TM 056 12954

Milepost fronting milesto adjacent to Ardleigh Cemetery.

 

Grade II listed

 
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Ardleigh (SA)

NGR: 06609 30402

 Milestone on N verge of A137.  Was fronted by a mile plate when listed 1987.  Missing by 2001.

 

Grade II listed

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Lawford  (SA)

NGR: TM 0805 3100

Milepost without stone.

 

 
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Lawford  (SA)

NGR: TM 0948 3103

Milestone

 

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Manningtree  (SA)

NGR: TM 1054 3184

Milepost without stone.

 
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Bradfield (SA)

NGR: TM 1438 3082

Milepost fronting milestone.

Grade II listed

 

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Wix  (SA)

NGR: TM 1580 3043

Milepost fronting milestone.

Grade II listed

 

 
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Ramsey  (JVN)

NGR: TM 1865 3077

Milepost without stone.

 

 

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Ramsey (JVN)

NGR: TM 2130 0057

 

Milepost without stone.
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Dovercourt  (JVN)

NGR: TM 2275 3050

Milestone.  Like others between Ardleigh and Harwich, the stone has a hole through the centre but unlike the others, the hole goes from side to side and not front to back.   Was it repositioned at some time and put 90 degrees out?

 

 

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Harwich (SA)

NGR: TM 2420 3125

Milestone on B1352.  70 miles from London.

 
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Upper Dovercourt [JVN]

NGR:  TM 2406 3113

On the B1352 (Main Road) opposite the B1414 (Fronk's Road).   1891_harwich.jpg (30993 bytes)

Harwich lighthouse (RM)

NGR: TM 260 325

Not a milestone but placed here as it can be regarded as the "last marker" on the way to Harwich.  Photo reproduced by kind permission of Richard Mudhar whose milestone website is well worth a visit.
Essex survivor on the Colchester to Ipswich road. ardleigh-A12.jpg (60103 bytes)

Ardleigh (JVN)

NGR: TM02623003

 Milestone.  Two further stones towards the Essex/Suffolk border were probably lost during realignment of the A12 trunk road.

Updated 26/09/04

 

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