Gorelands Lane Finger Post Sign
Finger post signs, also known as guideposts or directional signs, are freestanding structures with a vertical post and multiple arms, each pointing in a different direction and displaying text or symbols to guide pedestrians and motorists.
The sign that originally pointed out the routes on Gorelands Lane was donated to the Museum and had been in our collections storage until early this year. Now its had a new lease of life.
Our buildings team have recently restored and repainted the sign, bringing it back to its former glory. The letters on the sign have been put back in exactly the same places, keeping the inconsistency of their original placement.
The sign is currently on loan to Amersham Museum as part of their Rooted in the Land exhibition which finishes on Saturday 27 July.
The sign will return to COAM in August and be installed on our site.
A Brief History of Finger Post Signs
The earliest recorded post hails from 1669, located in Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire. While a local historical society preserves the original, a replica now marks its historic spot.
Fingerposts were typically positioned so you could easily see them from horseback or within a horse-drawn vehicle. Along with milestones, they enabled navigation of the road network. During the 18th century finger posts became commonplace. The Highways Act 1766 and Turnpike Roads Act 1773 made use of fingerposts on turnpike roads compulsory.
The Motor Car Act 1903 passed road sign responsibilities to the relevant highway authority, although no specifications were set for the design of the signs.
In 1921, the Ministry of Transport introduced a proposal advocating for uniformity in the sizing and hue of the inscriptions on these navigational markers. Following this in 1933, new rules dictated that capital letters in black-and-white should be set against a white backdrop, all affixed to a post with a black-and-white scheme. While the majority of fingerposts are adorned in the classic black and white, there are notable deviations, with some posts decked in red. One such example is the Red Post, which signals the turnoff from the A39 to Horner in Somerset, with similar instances in other counties like Dorset.
During the Second World War the government mandated the removal of all signposts as part of its anti-invasion strategies. While the posts themselves often stayed put, their “fingers” were detached and sometimes buried nearby until they were repositioned in the late 1940s.
Traffic sign regulations released in 1964 encouraged local authorities to remove and replace traditional fingerposts with the new designs, although it was not made compulsory to do so. Some counties appear to have been more zealous than others in eradicating them. Most of the surviving finger posts are in rural areas.
In 2005 the Department of Transport and English Heritage advised that "All surviving traditional fingerpost direction signs should be retained in-situ and maintained on a regular basis. They should be repainted every five years in traditional black and white livery. Other colours should be used only when these are known to have been in use before 1940".
In recent years several county councils have embarked on restoration and repair programmes for their fingerpost stock, including the Highway Heritage Project in the Quantock Hills of Somerset. With tight local authority budgets, private citizens and community groups are also stepping in to preserve this part of our heritage. The Fingerpost Project, unveiled by the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership, aims to mobilize ‘fingerpost champions’ to salvage and refurbish the approximately 700 markers remaining within their bounds. This trend, where communities actively engage in conservation efforts, is anticipated to gain traction across more counties, playing a pivotal role in safeguarding our rural signposts.