Middleton Roman Milestone
Roman milestone dating from 300 AD discovered 1836 in a field and moved to local churchyard in 2016
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Church of Holy Ghost
Middleton, Cumbria, LA6 2NB
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Middleton is mentioned ln the Doomsday Book of 1087. Even earlier use is evidenced by the Roman Milestone discovered in 1836 by Richard Bownass of Hawkin Hall, who ploughed it up some 200 m to the west of its current position in a field near Middleton Church.
It is a cylindrical sandstone shaft dating back to c. 300 AD. It stands 1.7 m out of the ground, with a diameter of 0.5 m. It bears the letters 'M (ilia) P(assuum) L lll' i.e. 53 miles, perhaps from Carlisle. Below it is an inscription added on the instructlon of Giles Moore of Grimeshill "SOLO ERVTVM RESTVTIT GVL MOORE AN MDCCCXXXVI" meaning "restorcd from the soil by Giles Moore 1836".
Much of the present A683 running through Middleton was originally the course of the Roman road connecting the Roman fort at Burrow with the one at Low Borrow near Tebay, and it is possible that miletones such as this performed an important function in demarcating the territorium of individual forts. It is Listed Grade II*.
It was knocked over by cattle and in 2016 it was moved to the church field nearby.
This video records the move:
By Road: On A 683 between Sedburgh and Kirkby Lonsdale; can be seen from the churchyard of Middleton Holy Ghost Church.
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