A CAMPAIGN to protect Llandrindod Wells’ only milestone and make it a “listed” monument is under way.

Jake Berriman, a county councillor for Llandrindod North, has contacted Cadw – the Welsh Government arm charged with protecting the historic environment of Wales – about the milestone, which is situated along the A483 on Tremont Road. Milestones are numbered markers placed on a route such as a road, railway line, canal or boundary and will often indicate the distance to towns, cities and other places or landmarks. You may have seen the ancient structures on your journeys around Powys, with the Llandrindod one indicating that Builth is 8 miles and Newtown is 26 miles away.

Cadw have already responded to Councillor Berriman, requesting any local knowledge about the stone, such as when it was erected. An old Victorian map of the town has been unearthed, marking the milestone on it.

“I have sent a spot listing request to Cadw, asking that they consider making Llandrindod’s only Milestone a listed building,” said Cllr Berriman.

“The information I have provided will now be carefully considered as part of a desk assessment. If there is interest, Cadw will ask an inspector to visit the site for a closer look and to undertake additional research, if necessary, in order to fully understand the ‘building’ and help them establish whether or not it is of special interest.

“They advise that this can be time-consuming but requests to list will normally be completed within six months.

“The main criteria used to decide whether buildings should be included on the statutory lists are special architectural interest and special historic interest, so let’s hope Llandrindod North’s milestone is deemed worthy.”

Another Radnorshire milestone a short distance from Llandrindod made headlines late last year when it went missing. Llanfihangel Rhydithon Community Council said they were keen to locate the whereabouts of one of its historic milestones, near the village of Dolau.

The milestone was situated on the verge of the A488 just north of Dolau, towards Knighton.

The milestone was put in place by the Radnorshire Turnpike Trust in the early 19th century and is one of 50 such examples in Radnorshire. They are all listed monuments, part of the local environment and historic landmarks that remind us of the Rebecca Riots in some areas against the tollgates placed along the toll roads.

Members of the Milestone Society look after the miniature objects in the local area, but this one seems to have disappeared during lockdown.