IT is hoped an 18th century granite milestone can be relocated to prevent further damage to it.

A planning application has been submitted to Cornwall Council for the relocation of the milestone at Langdon Cross, near North Petherwin — the milestone has been repeatedly knocked down in its present location over several years and has sustained damage.

The Launceston Turnpike Trust milestone opposite the Countryman Inn is Grade II listed. It was erected by the Trust in 1760 or shortly afterwards.

The proposal is to move the milestone to the opposite side of the road where there is a safe location. This would place the milestone in its original pre-listing location as shown on an OS map of 1907.

The proposed move has been agreed with neighbouring householders and a senior officer of Cormac, acting on behalf of the milestone owners, Cornwall Council.

The application was submitted by Ian Thompson of the Milestone Society.

In documents submitted to the council he said that moving it across the road to an area of grass verge maintained by the staff at the Countryman Inn, would reduce the risk of further damage.

He told the Post: “This was an original Launceston Turnpike Trust milestone erected in the 1760s to mark four miles from Launceston on the Launceston Trust’s route north towards Kilkhampton.”

Mr Thompson searched for the milestone in August 2015 and was told by someone living nearby that it was definitely still there, but buried. It had been knocked over repeatedly.

In August the ground was rock hard, but Ian and a colleague returned in December 2015 when it was wet and soft. They prodded about in the rain and found the milestone lying on its back, but with one corner ‘bashed off’.

Mr Thompson added: “There seemed little point in re-erecting the milestone in its current location to await further damage. The landlord of the Countryman Inn has very kindly agreed it can be sited on the grass between his pub and the neighbouring cottage.

“A sharp-eyed engineer at Cormac, who was involved in the search for the milestone, noticed that on the old 1907 edition of the Ordnance Survey map, it was shown on the east side of the road. All the other milestones on B3254 are on the east side of the road.

“Once planning permission has been granted, it is hoped to repaint and re-erect the milestone to join the 14 others marking the miles on B3254.

“Cornwall has the best collection of granite milestones in Britain, but we need to work together to keep it that way. Do your readers know where their nearest milestone is? Is it in good condition? Who looks after it?”