Traditional Dorset finger-posts
| Mon, 8 Mar 2010 14:01 Chris Downer |
There are many thousands of traditional, (usually) wooden finger-posts at road junctions all around the country. Dorset County Council had two principal designs. Firstly a hollow circular shape with DORSET C.C. written around the top edge – occasionally with the C.C. shifted to the bottom edge such as here:   Secondly, a classic which survives in reasonable numbers, is similar but with a horizontal bar through the middle, making it resemble the familiar London Underground sign in shape, with the location written thereon – and always with the six-figure grid reference around the bottom edge. This gallery is a collection of this latter design. |
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| Mon, 8 Mar 2010 14:06 Chris Downer |
Firstly, let us look at some modern signs, but where the original finial has been retained. For each image, there is a picture of the sign itself with a close-up of the finial alongside: Three Legged Cross; Holt – Clapgate     Alderholt – Batterley Drove; Cripplestyle Chapel     Sturminster Marshall – Newton Cross; Sturminster Marshall – Bailie Cross     Charing Cross; Jubilee Cross     Pressey's Corner; Cranborne Abbey     Pimperne; Bowers Barn – Iwerne Minster     Fontmell Hill; Sutton Waldron     Ranston; Winterborne Whitechurch     Lamb House Farm; Morden Park Corner     Long Ash Lane; Winyards Gap     Tenantrees; Broadmayne     Stock Gate; Kingstag     West Melbury; Dottery     Matterley Drove; Melbury Oak     Kingcombe Cross   |
| Mon, 8 Mar 2010 14:19 Chris Downer |
And here are some which are still on their original posts. Note that, quite often, the fingers themselves may have become damaged and these may be modern replacements, although on the whole, the finials themselves appear to be original. (I've made a note alongside those which I suspect are replicas.) God's Blessing Green; Holt – The Green     Holt – Woodcutts Lane; Horseshoes     Chalbury – Hell Corner; Horton     Horton – Haythorne; Woodlands Cross     Wimborne St. Giles – Sutton Hill; Edmondsham – The Stocks     Edmondsham – Pinnocks Moor; Verwood – Eastworth     Bonfire Hill; Alderholt Mill;     Boveridge; Cranborne     Bull Bridge; Amen Corner NB The Amen Corner finial was missing a year or so ago, and I believe was missing for many years – this may well therefore be a replica.     Ton Bridge; Long Drove Lane, Moor Crichel NB the Ton Bridge one may also be a replica – see note against previous pair.     Manswood; Sheephouse Drove     Colehill – Stocks Cross; Colehill Church     Colehill – Fiveways; Pamphill – Hillbutts     Lytchett Matravers – Higher Cross; Lytchett Matravers – Blaney's Corner     |
| Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:59 Chris Downer |
Everley Hill; Peggs Lane    Child Okeford; Okeford Fitzpaine     Shroton – Brake Cross; Shroton Church     Ibberton; Leigh Cross (Ibberton)     Woolland; Higher Ansty     Cross Lanes; Streetway Lane     Long Close; Milton Abbas     Winterborne Houghton; Cock and Bottle Note that the grid reference is wrong on the Cock and Bottle sign – see image description for more details.     |
| Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:01 Chris Downer |
And here is one which has sadly lost its top, although the remains can still be seen: |
| Mon, 5 Apr 2010 11:51 Chris Downer |
Four Ashes; Cole's Cross    Cross Keys; Bernards Place     Forde Grange; Horseshoe Road     Shearing's Cross; Sadborow     Thorncombe; Thorncombe Thorn     Venn Chapel; Powerstock     West Milton; Mount Pleasant     Two Gates; Wynford Eagle     Tollerford; Whitehall     Browne's Corner; Grimstone     Charminster Cross; Long Crichel – Guffhams Lane     |
| Fri, 21 May 2010 09:40 Chris Downer |
Sixpenny Handley; Hogstock    Farnham; Farnham – Minchington Farm     Tarrant Rawston; Dark Lane     Higher Kingston; Higher Waterston     Plush; Knapps Hill     Stones Farm; Mappowder     Piddlehinton; Throop Clump     Portesham; Harbour Hill     Buckland Ripers; Fifehead Magdalen     Marnhull – Stoney Lawn; Marnhull – Finger Corner     Walton Elm; Moorside     Manston; Durweston Cross     |
| Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:41 Chris Downer |
Here are five which are no longer in situ, sadly: Sixpenny Gate, pictured in July 1997 Red Post, Poyntington, pictured in November 2004 Eggardon Hill, pictured in October 2005 Langton Herring, pictured in October 2008 Portesham, pictured in October 2009 – although (see previous post) one is still standing at the next junction north with the same legend. |
| Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:16 Chris Downer |
Red Post (Anderson); Quarr Cross    East Creech; Barnston     Blackmanston; Steeple     West Lulworth - Burngate; Tarrant Gunville     Note that the incorrect digits have been used for the Tarrant Gunville grid reference. Moreton; Ashmore - Woodley Lane     Motcombe Turnpike; North End Cross     Milton-on-Stour; Shapwick Cross     Slaughtergate; Wyke - Gillingham     Tinkers Hill; St. James     Cornhill; Leigh Cross (Leigh)     |
| Mon, 24 Jan 2011 23:17 Chris Downer |
Chilfrome; Chilfrome - Cattistock Halt    Sandhills (two signposts)     Chantmarle Lane; Hell Corner (Melbury Bubb)     Penn Cross; Wootton Cross     White Post Gate; Ashton     Halstock; Lower Halstock Leigh     Yetminster Cross Roads; Cuckoo Hill - these two are modern replicas, not fully embossed.     Greenford Lane; Rampisham     Toller Porcorum; Higher Kingcombe    (March 2013; this signpost has gone so no close-up!) |
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