Bow Bells Pelham Milestone
| Browse information by: Location Makers General Information Classification Object Parts Object Condition History References Photographs |  Author: Anthony McIntosh Copyright for Photograph: Creative Commons |
Location
| Street: | Eastbourne Road (A22) |
| Town: | Halland |
| Parish: | East Hoathly |
| Council: | Wealden District Council |
| County: | East Sussex |
| Postcode: | BN8 |
| Location on Google Map | |
| Object setting: | Road or Wayside |
| Access is: | Public |
| Location note: | On the opposite side of the road near to Crockstead Hotel & Showground |
| In the AZ book: | East Sussex |
| Page: | 73 |
| Grid reference: | M8 |
| The A-Z books used are A-Z East Sussex and A-Z West Sussex (Editions 1A 2005). Geographers' A-Z Map Company Ltd. Sevenoaks. | |
| OS Reference: | TQ495175 |
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Makers
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General Information
| Commissioned by: | Union Point to Langney Bridge Turnpike Trust |
| Construction period: | c1754 |
| Installation date: | 1754 |
| Work is: | Extant |
| Owner custodian: | Wealden District Council |
| Object listing: | Not listed |
| Description: | Wood and cast iron milestone. At the roadside, faces NE. Relief of a buckle at the top, representing the Pelham family, the number '46' underneath and a series of four bells on a bowed ribbon, decreasing in size towards the base. All relief elements painted black. |
| Iconographical description: | Relief of a buckle at the top, representing the Pelham family. In 1356 at the battle of Poitiers a local knight Sir John Pelham together with Sir Roger de la Warr captured Jean the King of France, because of this Sir John was given the Kings belt buckle as a badge of honour. This badge can be seen on many churches and buildings in the area around Laughton showing the influence and power of the Pelham family. |
| Inscription: | |
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Classification
| Categories: | Roadside / Wayside, Functional |
| Object type1: | Marker |
| Subject type1: | Symbolic |
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Object Parts
| Part 1: | Whole structure |
| Material: | Cast iron on wooden support |
| Height (cm): | 100 |
| Width (cm): | 30 |
| Depth (cm): | 15 |
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Object Condition
| Overall condition: | Fair |
| Risk assessment: | At risk |
| Condition 1 of type: | Surface |
| Condition 1: | Corrosion, deterioration |
| Condition 2: | Abrasions, cracks, splits |
| Condition 3: | Biological growth |
| More details: | Old paintwork falling away from the cast iron. Ivy growing over structure. |
| Condition 2 of type: | Structural |
| More details: | Other similar mile posts have five 'Bow Bells' but there is no evidence to suggest that the bottom one has been removed from this one. |
| Date of on-site inspection: | 21/12/2007 |
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History
| History: | One of a series of Bow Bells milestones on the A22 between Hailsham and East Grinstead. This is the longest sequence of milestones in the country. Others can be found on the A26 between Uckfield and Lewes and between East Grinstead and Forest Row. This particular type of milestone is known as a 'rebus' or puzzle milestone because of the visual reference to Bow Bells Church in the City of London from where most roads heading south were measured. This milestone is of particular interest as above the bells can be seen a buckle referring to the coat of arms of the Pelham family who once owned a great deal of land in Sussex. The milestones were erected by the Turnpike Trusts that formed in the 18th century to improve roads.
('Hidden Sussex', ‘Curiosities of East Sussex: A County Guide to the Unusual’.) 'A22 MILE POSTS The longest continuous series of mile posts is on A22, and stretches from Lingfield (Surrey) to Hailsham. Although 2 of these are in Surrey and 4 at East Grinstead are now in West Sussex, the majority are in East Sussex… The Turnpike Trusts involved were the City of London - East Grinstead (1711) extended to Wych Cross by 1785, the Malling Street - Wych Cross (1725) and the Union Point to Langney Bridge (1754). All the mile posts are of cast iron and are of the 'Bow Bells' type, so called from the string of five bells below a bow of ribbon; above the bow is a large dot but between Uckfield (44 miles) and Horsebridge (54 miles) the dot is replaced by the Pelham Buckle, the crest of the Pelham family who were large landowners along the route of the turnpike.' ('The Batsford Guide to the Industrial Archeaology of South-East England') John de pelham, along with Sir Roger La Warr, was instrumental in the capture of John II, King of France at the Battle of Poitiers (19 September 1356) fought against Edward, the Black Prince, son of Edward III. In honour of their deeds, the King awarded Sir Roger La Warr the crampet of chape of a sword as a badge, and John de Pelham was knighted and given the buckle of a belt as a badge of that same honour. |
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References
| Source 1 : | |
| Title: | 'Curiosities of East Sussex: A County Guide to the Unusual' |
| Type: | Book |
| Author: | Arscott, David. |
| Page: | 46 |
| Publisher: | S.B. Publications. Market Drayton. |
| Source 2 : | |
| Title: | 'Hidden Sussex' |
| Type: | Book |
| Author: | Swinfen, Warden & Arscott, David. |
| Publisher: | BBC Radio Sussex. Brighton. |
| Source 3 : | |
| Title: | 'The Batsford Guide to the Industrial Archeaology of South-East England: Kent, Surrey, East Sussex and West Sussex' |
| Type: | Book |
| Author: | Haselfoot, A.J. |
| Publisher: | B.T. Batsford Ltd. London. |
Further information: | |
| #http://www.milestone-society.co.uk/# | |
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Photographs
Author: Anthony McIntosh Copyright: Creative Commons |  Author: Anthony McIntosh Copyright: Creative Commons |
 Author: Anthony McIntosh Copyright: Creative Commons |  Author: Anthony McIntosh Copyright: Creative Commons |
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