MILESTONES 127 



which says : " On Wednesday they began to measure 

 the Croydon Road from the Standard in Cornhill and 

 stake the places for erecting milestones, the inhabitants 

 of Croydon having subscribed for 13, which 'tis 

 thought will be carried on by the Gentlemen of 

 Sussex." 



I know nothing of what those Sussex gentlemen 

 did, but that the milestones were carried on is evident 

 enough to all who care to explore the old Brighton 

 Road through Godstone, up Tilburstow Hill, and so 

 on to East Grinstead, Uckfield, and Lewes, where this 

 fine bold series, dated 1744, is continued. What, 

 however, has become of the series so liberallv provided 

 in 1743 bv the "inhabitants of Croydon"? What 

 indeed ? Only this one. the thirteenth, remains ; the 

 other twelve, marking the distance from the 

 " Standard " in Cornhill, in addition to Westminster 

 Bridge, have been spirited away, and their places have 

 be,en taken by others, themselves old, but chiefly 

 marking the mileage from Whitehall and the Royal 

 Exchange. 



We all know that the Brighton Road is nowadays 

 measured from the south side of Westminster Bridge, 

 but it is not generally known — nor possibly known to 

 one person in every ten thousand of those who consider 

 they have worn the Brighton Road threadbare — that 

 it was measured from " Westminster Bridge ' before 

 ever there was a bridge. No bridge existed across the 

 Thames anywhere between London Bridge and Putney 

 until November 10th, 1750, when Westminster Bridge, 

 after being for many years under construction, was 

 opened, superseding the ancient ferry which from 

 time immemorial had plied between Horseferry Stairs, 

 Westminster, and Stangate on the Surrey side, the 

 site of the present Lambeth Bridge. The way to 

 Brighton (and to all southern roads) lay across London 

 Bridge. 



The old stones dated 1743 and 1744. and giving 

 the mileage from the bridge, were thus displaying 

 that " intelligent anticipation of events " which is. 



