Building record 1351800000 - Milestone on old A 413

Probable eighteenth or nineteenth century milestone beside old Aylesbury Road in Great Missenden on small grassed area. Moved by developers 5 inches towards London. Squared stone pillar 21 to 24 inches high and 12 to 13 inches deep with chamfered top. Incised inscription with black paint 'TO LONDON 31' on side facing road.' May have more incription below soil level. Local legend says Dick Turpin sat on this stone'. [ Drawings, location and photographs available ] (B1).
Recorded as present in 2004 on Milestones Society website updated in 2010 on now unclassified road was Amersham to Aylesbury route National ID number BU_LC31. On grass verge in Old Town on west side of road. 34cm wide 28cm deep 65cm high. Inscription ' in many old layers of paint ': front: LONDON 31. Carved bench mark lower front face. [ Detailed description, location and slides available ] (B2).
Confirmed by handwritten notes on OS 1" (1835) was in Bucks County Museum now in Centre for Bucks Studies. Museum number 38 sheet XXXVIII page 4 of notes. On Wendover to Amersham (C4 & C3) route. Inscription: London 31. Also in same notes under Milestones - Types ' 1/2 Mile From Rive Colne to Aylesbury -C2, C3, C4. Stone. Flat face parallel to road. 4 Sided. Except- Bedgrove ( London 39 ) - angled to road, lettered on 2 sides '. Note O.S. maps will show present positions - may not coincide with historical positions. In same notes under " MILESTONES ( In site 1986 except ? ) also in red C1/2/3/4/5/6/7 L1." On OS 1" 1835, Bryant and Jefferys. 31: ? Gt. Miss. Toll Bar Cottage J opp. side of rd. OS by Stn. Turn. B. sw of Pr. Ris. Fork ?. In same notes under Milestones with C in red box. In pencil [No mention of milestones in TMs up to 1808]. 1741 Geo.II c. 15 Cont. Act - MSs to be erected.TM. 1808 Mr Herring to be paid when "[mile]stones properly and rightly spelt, are placed".TM.1810 50 Geo.III-Rd. to be measured MSs and posts to be erected G9.1. 1823 Jon King to measure the T.P. road and prepare a map or plan for use of the Trustees [See t3/51-P.R.O.].TM. 1829 ' Proper hand posts' to be put up Aylesbury and elsewere with distances marked thereon.TM. 1834 Jan.The Clerk to " write to the Clerk of Oak Lane Trust stating that various improvements by shortening the road have been made and the Trustees, presuming that similar improvements have been made on the Oak Lane Trust, wish to be informed whether the milestones on the Oak Lane Trust have been placed accurately from the last milestone on the Oxford Road ....".TM. 1834 July "… measure the distance from 18th milestone to … to ascertain where respective milestone (to Buckingham ought to stand".TM. 1835 24 March "… that the present milestones in this Trust be taken up, and new faced and lettered and painted, and direct they measure the turnpike road from the 18th milestone on the Uxbridge road from London".TM. 1858 MSs to be painted. G1.2. 1868 March Surveyor to report on state of milestones and " cost of putting them in good order".TM.1868 October Tenders for repairing and re-writing milestones - Mr Hodgkins; at 3/- per stone , accepted.TM.1871 Handposts to be painted and repaired "throughout".TM. 1966 Extract, 'Bucks Life', Nov. - Bucks Milestones, R.I. Haynes, "… original road … Amersham to Aylesbury … can be traced by milestones 30 and 31 at Missenden". In red now on by-pass. JE. [ Handwrritten notes consulted ] (B3).