Milestones
Mile markers, i.e. milestones and metal mileposts (both often called milestones), were installed in places to mark distances to other towns or significant places. On the Wirral peninsula, the ferries were "significant places". Commercial transporters of people or goods relied on the markers for accurate pricing. A carter carrying a wagonload of farm produce from Greasby to Woodside ferry did not need to argue about the distance involved. The markers also reassured travellers that they were going in the right direction.
Greasby still has its three mile markers which were shown on Ordnance Survey maps -
(A) a milestone which has been moved twice and is now located outside the library
(B) a milepost dated 1898 at its original location on the grass verge outside 296 Greasby Road
(C) a milepost dated 1898 at its original location on the grass verge outside Millcroft Park, 322 Frankby Road
1908-09 map
(A) Milestone outside library entrance, 2021
(B) Milepost outside 296 Greasby Road, 2021
(C) Milepost outside Millcroft Park, 322 Frankby Road, 2021
The lettering on the milestone (A) reads "Woodside Ferry 6". Its original location was on Greasby Road near to the No Entry sign at the exit from the car park next to "Oak". From there it was moved to the site of the Smallpox Hospital which became Greasby library until 1986. That year it moved, with the library, to the present location.
Left - Milestone (A) at original location
Above - 2020 view of that location, now
126 Greasby Road. "X" marks the spot.
Left - Milestone (A) outside library
(former fever hospital) 1985/86
Above - Milestone (A) outside present library
Q.
Why do mile markers (A) and (C) both show "Woodside Ferry 6" when they are nearly 700 yards apart?
A.
See article (right) from Cheshire Observer 9 February 1884. Milestone (A) was installed when the route from Woodside Ferry was via Tranmere and Arrowe Road. However a new road had been built and the shortest route had changed to travelling via Bidston Hill and Upton so the journey to that milestone was not 6 miles but closer to 5½ miles. Local people wanted the old milestone removed and new, accurate, mile markers installed. New mileposts were installed in 1898 but the old milestone was not removed. The map of 1969 shows that both 6 mile markers were still in place.
For more information about milestones visit www.milestonesociety.co.uk or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milestone