Funny what you see when you're dodging potholes...

Spotted this on the A217 just past Lower Kingswood, Surrey, and hadn't got a clue what it was but it looked intriguing so I pulled over and took a picture.

Turns out it's a Coal & Wine Tax Post, marking the point at which duty became payable on coal and wine being transported into the City of London.

Sounds a bit like a Victorian precursor to the Congestion Charge to me!