Plea to mend historic stone

Renewed calls are being made for an ancient milestone to be repaired.

The milestone outside the Saracen’s Head Hotel, Market Place, Southwell, is listed for protection.

The stone, which dates from the late 18th Century, originally marked the distances to London and Mansfield.

A meeting of Southwell Town Forum was told that the surface of the stone had become badly eroded.

Mr John Robinson, a member of the forum, said the stone should be replaced.

He said: “I would have thought we could put in a new one modelled on the old. If we’re not allowed to move the old one we could put the new one up alongside it.”

Southwell Civic Society launched a campaign to replace the stone in 2005 and planned to keep the original somewhere in the town.

The plan was turned down by English Heritage and instead attempts were made to restore the stone.

Mr Peter Harris, the chairman of the town forum, said since the restoration the stone had eroded further.

He said salt used to grit the roads was probably to blame for the damage.

Mr Harris said: “It would be interesting to see if there was any possibility of doing anything with the milestone.”

The forum will look into the issue.