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Summary

Finger post erected in the 1970s or 1980s on the site of an earlier signpost. The present post comprises a white-painted timber central post with a pyramidal top and four directional arms with curved ends. Not recommended for listing; although the post is in an historic style it cannot be said to hold the special architectural or historic interest necessary for lising.

Location

Protected Status

• Local List: Dennis Down Cross Finger Signpost

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FINGER POST (Built, XX - 1970 AD to 1989 AD (Between))

Full description

English Heritage, 04/08/2014, Finger Sign Post at Dennis Down Cross, Hittisleigh, Exeter (Correspondence). SDV357017.

After examining all the records and other relevant information and considering the architectural and historic interest of the case it has been decided not to recommend the finger post for listing. The reason for this decision is that the finger post dates from the 1970s or early 1980s, and although it is in an historic style, it cannot be said to hold the special architectural or historic interest necessary for listing.

English Heritage, 16/07/2014, Finger Sign Post at Dennis Down Cross, Hittisleigh, Exeter, Annex 1 (Correspondence). SDV356874.

History: Legislation was enacted in 1697 which enabled magistrates to place 'direction posts at cross-highways'; the earliest surviving example is believed to be Joseph Izod's post of 1699 in the Cotswolds. In 1773 the General Turnpike Act required trustees to erect signs informing travellers of the distance to the nearest town, and often to London. The County Councils Act of 1888 transferred responsibility for main roads, and many sign posts post-dating the Act were erected by county councils. The Motor Car Act 1903 passed responsibility for the provision of all traffic signs to local authorities. The finger post under consideration is situated to the south of the crossroads known as 'Dennis Down', 'Dennis's Down' or Denniss Down' Cross near the village of Hittisleigh. The first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1890 depicts a guide (finger) post at this location; the survey made for that map will have been undertaken some time previously. However, the present finger post dates from the 1970s or early 1980s, having been made for Devon County Council by a carpenter in the Council's Crediton depot, who made a large number of decorative signs in this style, which were employed all over the county. In the mid-1980s a decision was taken to replace all Devon's signposts with aluminium models (later themselves replaced with polycarbonate) and the vast majority were dismantled. A few signs were left in place on quieter roads, and the example under consideration is one of these.
Details: Finger post, dating from the 1970s or early 1980s, on the site of an earlier signpost. The white-painted timber finger post consists of a chamfered central post with a pyramidal top; the south face of the post has the vertical inscription in raised sans serif capital letters: DENNISS DOWN CROSS. Four directional fingers extend from the upper part of the post, each having a curved end. The arms pointing to north-west and south-east have shaped sections below, in the style of bargeboards. The inscriptions, also in raised sans serif capitals, are: (north-west) CHERITON BP 3 ¼; EXETER 13 ½; (north-east) 2 ½ WHIDDON DOWN; 7 CHAGFORD; 8 ½ OKEHAMPTON; (south-east) 2 ½ SPREYTON; 4 ½ BOW; (south-west) HITTISLEIGH ½; YEOFORD 5; CREDITON 8 ½. The bottom of the post has a later metal collar to protect against rot.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'G.P' marked at Dennisdown.

Jenkinson, T., 2006, Older Style Cast Iron and Wooden Finger Posts of Devon c1920-40. Mid Devon (Report - Survey). SDV348025.

Rowlands, J., 2014, Finger Post, Denniss Down Cross (Ground Photograph). SDV356719.

Ordnance Survey, 2014, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV355681.

'GP' marked.

Mid Devon District Council, 2014, Mid Devon Local List Register of Heritage Assets - West, Denniss Down Cross Finger Sign, Hittisleigh (Local List - Register of Heritage Assets). SDV356892.

Denniss Down Cross Finger Sign, Hittisleigh.
Description: This traditional wooden finger sign stands at the crossroads at Dennis Down Cross, half a mile outside the centre of Hittisleigh. The sign-post is a well-known and iconic feature of the local area. There are ten hamlets, villages and towns named on the sign-post, more than any other sign-post in the surrounding area. The location of the sign-post is on the Two Moors Way and is often photographed by walkers and hikers travelling between Dartmoor and Exmoor.

Mid Devon District Council, 2014, Register of Heritage Assets, Dennis Down Cross Finger Signpost (Local List - Register of Heritage Assets). SDV356889.

Dennis Down Cross Finger Signpost.
Importance: Landmark feature in the streetscape.

English Heritage, 30/05/2014, Finger Post at Dennis Down Cross, Hittisleigh (Correspondence). SDV356694.

English Heritage, 30/11/2012, Application to add Finger Sign Post, Dennis Down, to List of Buildings (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV350709.

Application received to add Finger Sign Post to the List of Buildings.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV5463 - Survey of Finger Posts in Mid Devon

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