Millennium Milepost
In the run-up to the year 2000, Sustrans, the UK
walking and cycling
charity, commissioned 1,000 (actually a few more than that) cast iron
'Millennium Mileposts' across the country as part of early work on the
National Cycle Network in the UK. There are four styles of post; the
English one is known as the ‘fishtail’. The English design was made by
Brighton-based artist Jon Mills – indeed each one is an art work. Three
other artists produced designs for each of Wales, Scotland and Northern
Ireland. They were carefully painted in a variety of colours and there
has since been a programme of volunteers refurbishing the paintwork.
2023 image
This example in Ipswich is on a cycle/foot path just
off Heath
Road to the south of the Ipswich Hospital complex.
The lettering/numerals read, from the top:-
'337M HULL
71/2M WOODBRIDGE
M [for Millennium]
HARWICH 57M
HADLEIGH 16M'
In the curved triangle:
'NATIONAL CYCLE NETWORK'
and in the centre of the triangle: '1'
The text below is the sponsorship statement by The
Royal Bank if
Scotland.
As part of the design we see a symbolic fuel pump and gauge with 'E'
and 'F' [Empty and Full].
Barely visible in the dark area near the base is the credit for the
iron-casting company. The post sits on a solid bed of cobbles with a
hexagonal base composed of shaped railway sleepers. It once bore a
metal plaque to give information about the sign and its significance.
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Historic Lettering site: Borin Van Loon
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