Fingerposts History

After the Society was formed in November 1888, much of the footpath system of Wirral had been surveyed and maps published by the Society. In November 1889, a year after our Society was formed, the first of the oak finger posts was erected near the Railway Inn at Meols. At first the County Council refused permission for signs to be located where paths met main roads. But eventually the council gave way and in July 1893, 40 cast iron posts were ordered from a Whitchurch manufacturer. The lettering read Erected with the consent of the County Council by WFPOS. By September, 38 posts had been erected at a cost of £2 each.

It wasn’t long before various construction works interfered with the signs. But installation went ahead and two years later a further 20 posts were up. By 1920 125 posts had been erected. However some authorities refused permission and between 1920 & 1939 some posts vanished due to housing development. 

Following the fall of France and the evacuation of Dunkirk in June 1940, the British government feared an imminent ground or paratrooper invasion. To turn the British countryside into a giant maze for German forces, authorities ordered the immediate removal of all geographical markers. Following the end of the war, the society faced the massive task of retrieving these hidden pieces of heritage. Many of the dismantled arms were successfully recovered and reinstalled on their original posts. However, some were permanently lost or forgotten in their wartime hiding places, occasionally being rediscovered decades later during renovations or excavations. 

Following the production of a Draft Definitive Map by Cheshire after 1949, new posts were ordered from the Royal Label Factory for use on South Wirral paths. Later on, all Highway Authorities had to ensure paths were signposted under the terms of the 1968 Highways Act.

The black and white fingerpost still features prominently on our logo today.

Fingerpost Map

Please see the below interactive map of the traditional black and white Fingerposts that the Society has graciously donated over the years.

Red icons show Fingerposts in the Wirral Borough Council area, while blue icons denote Fingerposts in the Cheshire West and Chester council area.

Please note that this is a Work In Progress

Pictures of the Fingerposts

Pictures of just a few of the fingerposts. We will be adding more when we can.