{"id":2394,"date":"2011-03-30T19:08:47","date_gmt":"2011-03-30T18:08:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.heritageandhistory.com\/contents1a\/?p=2394"},"modified":"2011-03-30T19:08:47","modified_gmt":"2011-03-30T18:08:47","slug":"fingerpost-sign-with-crown-on-top","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heritageandhistory.com\/contents1a\/2011\/03\/fingerpost-sign-with-crown-on-top\/","title":{"rendered":"Fingerpost sign with crown on top"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just outside Pooley Bridge and on the junction<\/a> between Penrith and Tirrel is this unusual fingerpost with a crown on top.<\/p>\n

\"Fingerpost<\/a>
Fingerpost sign just outside of Pooley Bridge in North Cumbria<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Often to be found at junctions of old country lanes, the fingerpost \u00a0sign has become one of those things to have near any rural community along with the traditional red telephone box.<\/p>\n

It is thought that the earliest known example of a fingerpost, is a post from\u00a01699 near Chipping Campden\u00a0in the \u00a0Cotswolds. \u00a0A replica of\u00a0Joseph Izod’s fingerpost<\/a> is located on the A44 at the junction with the B4081.<\/p>\n

Fingerpost history<\/h2>\n

The General Turnpike Act 1773\u00a0required trustees to erect signs informing travellers of the distance to the nearest town.<\/p>\n

Many of the earliest signs were erected by the Automobile Association (AA) and the Royal Automobile Club (RAC).<\/p>\n

The Motor Car Act 1903 \u00a0passed responsibility for the provision of all traffic signs to local authorities.<\/p>\n

In 1921 the Ministry of Transport produced a manual for direction signs.<\/p>\n

It recommended: –<\/p>\n