Visitors to the rec’ will see that what looks like an old milestone in the verge between the car park and the playing field. This is actually a highways boundary marker stone dating from around 1865.
It was originally sited on the left side of the Chinnock Road immediately after leaving Higher Odcombe heading toward the Hollow. Normally it would be inappropriate to move such stones, but it was only discovered during some hedging and fencing work and was buried in the bank well below the road level. With a new hedge being planted it would likely have disappeared for good.
This boundary marker stone dates from when there were separate Yeovil and Crewkerne Highways Authorities who would have been responsible for maintaining roads in their various parishes. At this time the roads would have been made of crushed stone and used by foot-traffic, horses, carts and carriages only. Tarmac had not been invented, and the first cars did not appear on British roads until the 1890s.
We will explain more in our next newsletter but would like to thank Jim Hodder, the landowner at Pye Corner Farm for his kind permission to relocate the stone. It would also not have been possible to move it without the outstanding help of Ian Tanswell, who farms Mr. Hodder’s land. Ian kindly offered the use of his stunning tele-handler to lift the stone for us – picture attached !
