The Pack Horse milestone - or the Organ Grinder milestone!
So, it seems that milepost situated outside the Pack Horse Inn, sorry, I mean the Organ Grinder, although appearing mysteriously one night, appeared long before the time that Harry Sheffield was landlord (late-1920s to c.1950). The thing about history is that its story often changes, as more information comes to light, so it’s worth me transcribing the article that appeared in the 'Loughborough Echo' of 24 July 1914, in full below.
“An Old Milestone
A correspondent writes:
Walking
down Woodgate the other day with one of Loughborough’s finest tradesmen, he
ventured to pass a remark about the milestone that stands at the corner of Pack
Horse Lane. Upon my asking how long it had stood there, he could give no
satisfactory answer, only to say he knew it had been there more than 50 years
[so pre-1864] and he was still further surprised when I ventured to suggest
that he did not know what was inscribed thereon.
I wonder
how many of the hundreds who pass up and down this well-known thoroughfare and
have noticed this familiar object, can tell from memory what it has to say.
Now, Mr
Editor, can you tell us why it is there?
The
inscription reads: Loughborough, 9 miles, Derby 8, London 108.
There is an old saying that runs like this: What can’t speak, can’t lie. What about this?”
The Editor then replies:
“Our
correspondent is wrong in one important particular. The old milestone reads
“London 118 miles”. We understand that the history of this stone is somewhat as
follows:
At one time it told the tale of journeys to those who travelled by coach from London to Derby and all and sundry who passed that way, that they were nine miles from Loughborough, eight miles from derby, and 118 from London.
As Loughborough is about 109 from London and 17 from Derby, it follows that this stone originally would stand on the Derby Road, nine miles from Loughborough.
We are unable to say how it came to be moved, maybe this arose at a time when the roads were disturnpiked, and coming into the possessions of a Loughborough man who at that time engaged in the building near the Pack Horse Lane, the stone was placed in the wall. When the present premises were rebuilt two or three years ago the stone again found an honoured position in the outer wall.
What gives interest to the history of this milestone is to be found in the fact that the old coach road through Loughborough used to lass down Pack Horse Lane, in fact we may assume that the derivation of the term ‘Pack Horse Lane’ arises from there being a hostelry there at which pack horses rested.”
Well,
that opens up a can of worms, does it not?! Perhaps the stone, which is purported to come from the area of Shardlow, arrived whilst that Leicester Road was being re-routed to cut out the dog-leg from Leicester Road that leads down Packhorse Lane, and then back out onto High Street. This re-routing meant that the Cross Keys pub, sorry, I mean The Phantom, was moved to its current position. This was way back in 1813. Is it possible the stone has been there that long? I'm off to hunt for evidence ...
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| Taken 2016: although hard to read, more inscribed letters are highlighted at this time |
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| Picture from 2021: the inscribed letters are much less decipherable |
Posted by lynneaboutloughborough 15 August 2021
You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follow:
Lynne
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