Chigwell coal duty boundary marker

Summary

A coal duty boundary marker dating to 1862, cast by Henry Grissell of the Regent's Canal Ironworks, London.

Reasons for Designation

Chigwell coal duty boundary post, erected in 1862, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* as a distinctive marker retaining its form and original detailing, cast by Henry Grissell of the Regents Canal Ironworks.

Historic interest:

* as a tangible reminder of the tax on coal imported into London as well as the Metropolitan Police District boundary in 1862.

History

This City of London coal duty marker is one of a remaining ring of posts which were erected in a 20-25 mile radius of the City of London. They were used to demarcate the boundary where duty was to be paid as per the London Coal and Wine Duties Continuance Act 1861. They are often located on roads, but also railways and canals.

Taxes had been levied on the importation of coal into the City of London since the medieval period and various successive Acts of Parliament allowed the City to spend the proceeds on public works. The Act has its origins in the 1667 First Rebuilding Act which raised a duty of one shilling per chaldron of coal to help fund the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire of 1666. This was collected via the Port of London as coal came by sea and the Thames to London from Newcastle. Further financial difficulties caused by Charles II's borrowing of money from the Corporation of London led to the passing of the Act for the Relief of Orphans and of the Creditors of the City of London in 1694. This authorised a duty of 4 shillings per tun on wine brought into the Port of London as well as further fees and duties on coal.

By the mid-C19 coal began to be brought into London by road, canal and rail as well as by sea. To continue to collect duties posts were erected around London in an irregular circle indicating where these were due. In 1861 the London Coal and Wine Duties Continuance Act was passed, at which point the boundaries were brought in line with the boundaries of the Metropolitan Police District, and in 1862 the duties were transferred to the Metropolitan Board of Works. This change in area required the erection of new boundary markers and around 280 standardised cast-iron markers were installed to mark it. Those on roads and paths were cast by Henry Grissell (1817-1883) of the Regent's Canal Ironworks, London, between approximately 1859 and 1864, and most bear the inscription '24 & 25 VICT/CAP 42'. Some of the posts, as at Chigwell, have lost the initial '2' or 'T'. It has been suggested that production of some of the posts began prior to the Act being passed by Parliament. As these posts did not carry a full inscription it was necessary to fix a correction plate over the original inscription. To ensure uniformity, these correction plates were fitted on all posts cast, and to enable a good fit, it was necessary to grind away the '2' and/or 'T'. Some posts have subsequently lost their correction plates. The tax continued until 1891 when the Corporation of London relinquished its rights to collected tolls on coal.

The coal duty boundary marker at Chgwell stands on the north side of Manor Road, just east of the entrance to Sheepcotes, 3 Lambourne Road. Its inscription '4 & 24 VICT CAP 42', a manufacturing error, suggests that the correction plate has now been lost.

Details

A coal duty boundary marker dating to 1862, cast by Henry Grissell of the Regent's Canal Ironworks, London.

MATERIALS: of cast iron, painted white.

DESCRIPTION: a white painted post formed of a cast-iron square column with chamfered corners and a pyramidal top. Below the pyramidal top on the necking is the coat of arms of the City of London Corporation. Beneath this a raised inscription reads ‘4 & 25 VICT / CAP 42’, a reference to the 1861 London Coal and Wine Duties Continuance Act.

Sources

Books and journals
The City of London coal duties and their boundary marks in The London Archaeologist, ,Vol. 1(2), (1969), 27-30

Websites
The coal duties of the City of London and their boundary marks, accessed 22 October 2024 from https://www.coaldutyposts.org.uk/cityposts.html

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