Alnwick Foundry : Signposts
 

These cast iron signposts were made by the Alnwick Foundry, they are believed to date back to the 1920`s. The foundry no longer exists - it was demolished to make way for a supermarket (Morrisons). A small number of signs have survived to this day, all in various states of disrepair. An example is given in the first image. I have photographed a dozen or so, all on minor, unclassified roads, off the beaten track. Imagine then, my surprise, indeed my joy, on seeing just one of these long neglected signposts restored to its former glory. A job extremely well done, I would say!


http://i.imgur.com/E3OKZdXh.jpg
©Vagabond

http://i.imgur.com/orWgzKvh.jpg
©Vagabond


I appreciate this is outside of the geographical triangle relevant to these forums, I hope I will be forgiven on this occasion. :)

Is the large listed post at Rock Village from Alnwick Foundry?
Hopefully pic attached off my mobile

Yes, that`s an Alnwick Foundry post; looks like it has been restored, after a fashion, some time in the distant past. If you take a close look at the upright (the actual post), you`ll see the words`ALNWICK FOUNDRY` embossed into the metal. Look near the base of the post. It may be obscured by undergrowth, vegetation etc but it`s there. I`ll dig out an image, show you what I mean.

edit: Here is that image:

http://i.imgur.com/F88NlhUl.jpg
©Vagabond

For more on Alnwick Foundry Cast Iron Signposts please go to http://northumbrian-hills.freeforums...iron-signposts

I was going through some old papers last night and came across this:

http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...ckley_1873.jpg


Small book not much bigger than a passport. Boards are gone and possibly a few preliminary pages, perhaps a contents page and the map is missing. Main text is complete, 56 pages and 16 pages of adverts. No obvious ref to the author but he was (from Google) John Lamb Luckley, an Alnwick writer and journalist (from the census). Again no date on the book but it is allegedly 1873.

In the local adverts mentioned is one for the Alnwick Foundry:

http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...ck_foundry.jpg

Hi Coquet, :) my apologies for not responding sooner, and thank you for posting these images - very interesting! I`d like to buy this book off you - that is, if you are willing to sell?

Before you sell it on Coquet :D, could you tell me if there is an advert for the woollen manufactory at Tosson Mills. It might mention the name Ashton as the proprietor? Producer of plaids etc.

Talking about adverts, here`s one from my collection ;)

http://i.imgur.com/uEn9tv1h.jpg

Well that's a gem!


I'd like to hang on to it I think - but can digitise it and put it on-line - it is about 50 years out of copyright!


Nothing for the Mills unfortunately Janwhin.

What about this outfit Vagabond? Ever come across any of their bottles?

George Storey & Co., Rothbury, Brewers, Maltsters, Wine and Spirit Merchants, Ale, Porter, Hop & Corn Merchants, & c.,




http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...hants_1873.jpg


[Note dated 1874, some online references have this book dated to 1873]

Thanks for trying Coquet.

Vagabond, in the village, Eglingham, we have an iron "milestone". Like a milestone it is stubby but instead of stone it is a short metal post with an egg shaped top, flattened at the front and showing Alnwick in one direction and Chatton in the other.
Is this likely to be an Alnwick Foundry job?

My apologies, I must check these forums more often.

The name of Storey certainly rings a bell Coquet. I believe I have seen some of their bottles, mainly pop bottles, and of more recent date than the ones in the advertisement. Thanks for posting the image, very interesting! I love reading old documents, especially when they`re of local interest.

I cannot answer your query re the milestone janwhin, but now you have aroused my interest! I think I`ve seen a few of these on my travels. Maybe we all have but like the signposts, they are familiar objects to us, a part of the landscape, they have always (in our memory) been there, we take them pretty much for granted. Just sometimes we stop and look, and that`s when we really notice them, I will certainly be taking more interest in these milestones (I did photograph one not so long ago, will check my files). I take the occasional walk on Beanley Moor, next time I`m in the area I will take a look at the Eglingham milestone. It [They] may well have been made by the Alnwick Foundry - I think I shall be very disappointed to discover otherwise!

PS. Beanley Moor, a fascinating site, steeped in history, local, and natural, eg millstones were hewn out of the crags here.

Glad to have piqued your interest Vagabond.....the milestone is at the eastern end of the village. But don't go on Wednesday, all the roads are closed and you might get knocked over by some flying cyclists :) I've also noticed an old signpost at the Shipley crossroads, on the right going towards Alnwick. It has been painted up and is behind the field wall.
I opened my big mouth in the pub last night and have found myself roped into doing some local history articles for the community magazine. I might just do something on the Alnwick Foundry hardware on the roads.
Beanley Moor is fascinating but so are all the moors round the village, full of burial cairns, forts and cup and ring marks. Not forgetting the millstones!

The Tour of Britain - thank you for reminding me janwhin; I thought I might drive over that way on Wednesday, to Titlington (Shepherds Law) via Powburn - Bolton - perhaps not ! There`ll be other days! We too have a community magazine `Over the Bridges` probably not distributed in your area, but I guess you`ll have come across it? I had promised them an article on the Alnwick Foundry signposts - or something, but I`ve not got round to it, so, over to you! :)


Re Beanley Moor (millstone).
http://northumbrian-hills.freeforums...eograph-org-uk


PS. I fear we have strayed out of the triangle somewhat! oops! ;)

Well before we draw a veil over this diversion, I think that might be a good plan Vagabond. The drive across would be nice as it is the A697 south from Wooler to the Eglingham/Alnwick turn off that is closed, together with the B road to Alnwick. You'd be stuck once you tried to turn into Eglingham from Beanley!
There's a nice millstone on Harehope Hill too, along with a mysterious cistern, carved out of solid rock. The favourite theory, supported by oral tradition, is that it was used for making gin from the local juniper berries.

Better shut up now :o

lol "was used for making gin" not any more though? :D ;)

Meantime, back to more `hick` sober reflections ... another Alnwick Foundry signpost, this one`s on the B6341 over Alnwick Moor. Photographed May this year. Going down! :)

http://i.imgur.com/9vf2ocCh.jpg
©Vagabond

No idea who made this, interesting though! Bound to be others, just a matter of finding them!

http://northumbrian-hills.freeforums...ron-millestone

PS. Also noticed a couple of 30mph signs on metal posts, looked quite old, one on each side of the road set low off the ground.

Nice photo, shame can't be definitive about Alnwick Foundry though. I'll have to look more closely at the 30mph markers.

Driving through the village of Thropton the other day, I noticed similar 30mph markers, very much the same as those at Eglingham. I must have driven through there (at 30mph lol) hundreds of times without seeing them. At a guess I`d say these and the Eglingham markers date back to the the late sixties, early seventies. Is just a guess though!

This image (below) was taken on the day of my sojourn at Eglingam. It may well be an Alnwick Foundry signpost; can `t say for sure as there are no markings indicating who the manufacturer was/is. Still it`s an interesting post, cannot deny that. Quite unique, one of a kind!

It has been given a coat of paint. Say no more!

http://i.imgur.com/mFc5BRqh.jpg
©Vagabond

Interesting comment in our local magazine about this signpost today, by the parish council. Apparently it was pretty wrecked and under the ownership of the county council. When its state was brought to their attention, they said they would not restore it but replace it with a modern aluminium job. However, if the parish wanted to keep it then it would have to become their responsibility. They agreed, phew! They reckon it's from the 1930s.