Milestones

Fife has a wealth of milestones and wayside markers that have survived for around one-and-a-half to two centuries. Careful preservation over many decades has resulted in a range of styles of these once vital aids to the traveller remaining resolutely in place. With the introduction of turnpike roads in the late 18th century in Fife, many routes were improved and tolls were collected for their use. In the years that followed, the erection of milestones and direction posts became a requirement. As the 'Milestones of Fife' book by Darwood and Martin (2005) states:

"The surviving milestones are all to be found along former turnpike roads, while wayside markers mark junctions between two turnpike roads, or between one turnpike and one statute-labour road."

The image below features the milestone that stands at the junction of the A915 and Harbour Wynd, opposite the Largo War Memorial. This type is the most common style of milestone - a maximum of 3ft high, whinstone with a cast-iron cap, with cursive script and often abbreviated names (eg L Pr for Largo Pier or Bt Id for Burntisland). These milestones must have been costly to produce - each one being unique and therefore requiring its own individual mould. The mark on the side of the base is a bench mark - used as a reference point in measuring altitude. 'Largo Pier' featured on many milestones, being the main steam ferry port for the East Neuk at one time. The 'Largo' location (as opposed to Largo Pier) apparently was measured at Lundin Mill Bridge.

Below is a Wayside Marker located close to Pitcruvie north of Lundin Links. This lists various villages and farms and indicates whether they are located left or right (without distances). Contrast this version with that shown at the top of this post (in the montage of images) which features long lists of places with distances and a pointing hand symbol showing which direction applies (this one is found in Upper Largo where the A915 splits with the A917). 

World War Two brought about an order for all direction markers throughout the country to be removed in case of enemy invasion (see notice below from the St Andrews Citizen from 3 June 1940).  In many places, this resulted in the information being physically scrubbed off the markers, thus defacing them forever. However, in Fife a more easily reversible approach was taken. Markers with the information etched into them were removed entirely while those with caps had the caps removed and the stones left in place. Items removed were carefully stored.

Eventually, some years after the end of war, all were returned back into their original position. As the letter further below shows (Dundee Evening Telegraph 12 April 1950) this took a little longer than some had hoped in some places. Over the years since then many milestones have been saved, restored and protected by various groups and individuals. There are some wonderful stories of broken caps being welded back together, stones being dug up after decades underground, a cap being rescued from a rubbish dump, another being retrieved from a private garden. Let's hope that these relics from a bygone age continue to be given care and attention for many decades to come.