Coal Tax Post 152

I had a very interesting day out (at least for me anyway). For over 10 years I have been a member of the Milestone Society. This excellent organisation researches, records, helps restore and makes aware of our roadside heritage in the form of milestones, mileposts and other direction markers and also boundary stones.

A Coal Tax Post is one such boundary marker. Briefly, after the Great Fire of London in 1666, a tax was levied on goods entering the city to help to pay for the rebuilding. By the time of the mid 19th Century, this was mainly levied on coal and wine coming into the city with the money going to good causes and rebuilding of bridges among other things. The Government allowed the City authority to erect posts to mark the boundary right round London using the boundary of the then jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Police at that time. Posts were erected by roads, canals, rivers and railways that entered the City. There are well over 200 of them. One of the more local members of the Milestone Society has devised a walk between Tadworth, Walton on the Hill and Mogador on the North Downs Way that enables visitors to see some of these posts. There are 19 in all and I had photographed a few some years ago and today I decided to look for all 19 and photograph them. This is the 152nd post and it bears the Arms of the City of London and the Acts of Parliament that authorised the erection of the posts. The one shown is the most common type and is made of cast iron. I managed to find all 19 plus a stone marker with B on it (not connected).

The walks pass Banstead Heath on the north and Walton Heath on the south. Walton Heath is a historic golf course with the club founded in 1903. It’s a huge course and is a very fine one. James Braid, a native of Earlsferry, Fife, was appointed the club’s first professional in 1904 and his house in Walton on the Hill has a blue plaque commemorating his residence there. He continued playing well into old age and I believe he was responsible for the design of a number of courses. The walk and the posts are all along the northern edge of the course and there were plenty of golfers out today.

Passing the course, it was also good to see so much colour in wear as well! Where else would you see a man wearing banana yellow trousers? It could only be on the golf course! With so much of male clothing in my opinion being insufferably drab and dull in colour as well as “style”, it was refreshing to see a variety of colour for a change! The only drawback of this walk if there is one, is the noise from the M25 – the UK’s biggest car park! The walk includes a length of lane near Mogador that crosses the motorway on a bridge and the noise is terrific (even with bunged up, muffled ears!). The sound is amplified by the cutting the motorway is in and the concrete surface. However, the road was free flowing today! There is wildlife to be seen at all times of year but I was not there for that! However, in Walton itself, I did see a yellow bird fly over and am not sure what it was (not a Parakeet though).