Types of boundary mark

Type 2


Type 2e post

Post 131 in June 2008
(Photo: Martin Nail)

These are the standard "City Posts" which form 85% of the surviving boundary marks. They are found not only beside roads and tracks but also in some cases in field boundary fences and on open heaths far away from modern roads. The posts were cast by Henry Grissell at the Regents Canal Ironworks, Eagle Wharf Road, Hoxton. They are 2 metres high in total of which about 1 to 1.2 metres is normally above ground, though some are buried very much more deeply.

Link to Scale drawing of a Type 2 post.

Sub-types

The various sub-types are as follows. Most extant posts are of types 2c, 2d and 2e.

Type Date Maker's name Inscription
2a [none] Four lines: front and back 14 & 15 VICT/CAP 146
2b 1859 Oval: front only 14 & 15 VICT/CAP 146
2c 1861 Oval: front and back 24 VICT
2d 1861 Oval: front and back 24 & 25 VICT/CAP 42
2e 1862 Oval: back only 24 & 25 VICT/CAP 42
2f 1864 Oval: front only 24 & 25 VICT/CAP 42
2g 1864 Oval: front and back 24 & 25 VICT/CAP 42
2h [none] [none] ACT/24 & 25 VICT/CAP 42
2z [none] [none] [none]

2*, 2**, etc indicate posts with correction plates (see below)

Type 2a

Type 2a

Type 2b

Type 2b

Type 2c

Type 2c

Type 2d

Type 2d

Type 2e

Type 2e

Type 2f

Type 2f

Type 2g

Type 2g

Type 2h

Type 2h

Type 2z

Type 2z

Type 2 out of the ground

Type 2 post
out of the
ground

Maker's name

The maker's name is on the base of the post and is normally just above ground level. On posts of types 2b -2g the makers name is in an oval design of the type found on many cast-iron objects. On posts of type 2a it is in four lines: HENRY GRISSELL / REGENTS CANAL / IRONWORKS / LONDON. No makers name appears on types 2h and 2z

Type 2a Maker's name

Type 2a
Maker's name

Type 2b Maker's name

Type 2b
Maker's name

Type 2c Maker's name

Type 2c
Maker's name

Type 2d Maker's name

Type 2d
Maker's name

Type 2e Maker's name

Type 2e
Maker's name

Type 2f Maker's name

Type 2f
Maker's name

Type 2g Maker's name

Type 2g
Maker's name

Inscriptions

The posts of type 2c, with the short inscription "24 VICT", were apparently made before the 1861 Act was actually passed and thus before its full regnal year and chapter number (see the explanation of Citation of Acts of Parliament) were known (see Coal and Corn and Finance Committee Minutes 25, 10th April 1861, 7). To cover up the inscriptions on types 2a, 2b and 2c these posts, and, presumably for the sake of uniformity, the posts of other castings, were fitted with correcting plates. In most cases these plates have become broken, loose, or missing. On most posts of types 2d - 2g the initial "2" and part of the "T" of "24 & 25 VICT" are missing. The most probable explanation is that these had to be removed to allow the correcting plates to be fitted, as argued by Bawtree in his 1969 article in the London archaeologist (p 30). Posts of type 2h were evidently made subsequently to the fitting of plates as they have an inscription in such a form that they resemble posts with a plate fitted. The single post of type 2z (with no shield or inscription) was presumably a prototype subsequently fitted with a correcting plate and pressed into service.

Type 2c Inscription

Type 2c
Inscription

Type 2e with boken plate

Broken plate showing
original inscription
underneath

Type 2e Inscription

Inscription with
2 and part of T
missing

Type 2h Inscription

Type 2h
Inscription

Correction plates

There are two types of correction plate:

Normal plate

Normal plate

Post 34 plate

Post 34 plate

Normal plate

A plate removed
from a post

Normal plate

Rear view of a plate

Page created by Martin Nail: Contact me. Last revised 10th October 2010

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