Roman Milestone at Mynheer Farm
A granite Roman milestone, dated AD238-244; found in a field in 1942 during ploughing. It was left in a hedge until 1946 when it was placed in Mynheer Farm garden, its present location. There are four more in Cornwall. Two near Tintagel, two near St Michael’s Mount, one of these being in Breage Church.
This Roman milestone survives as an upright
granite pillar. The overall height of the stone is 1·06 metres. The principal
faces are orientated east-west. The milestone is almost triangular in section,
as the sides taper inwards from the west face to form a narrow east face. The
west face bears an incised inscription in several short lines. The inscription
is in Latin and reads:
`IMP CAES ANT GOR DIA NO PIO FEL'.
This is an abbreviated form of the Latin for:
`imperatorinus caesaribus Antonius Gordianus pio felicitas'.
This translates as:
`for the emperor, caesar, Antonius Gordian pious fortunate'.
The inscription dates to between AD 238 and 244.
The milestone is cemented into a rectangular granite base. It was found below ground level, nearly vertical, during ploughing in 1942 in what is thought to be its original location and was thrown into the adjacent hedge. It has been suggested that the linear depression it was found near was a major route through Cornwall and that there may be a road about 1 metre below the surface. In October 1946 the milestone was re-erected on its modern granite base in its present location. The milestone is a Scheduled and Listed Grade 2 monument.
If you would like to visit and see the milestone this can be arranged at the discretion of the owners of Mynheer Farm. Please contact using the e-mail link - romanmilestone@mynheerfarm
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