Boundary Post

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A cast-iron boundary post dated 1858 and located on the west side of High Street, Holywood.

Shaft with raised rounded -band to base; raised lettering reading “Hollywood Commissioners 1858” corbelled octagonal capping with starburst cap. The shaft has been diminished by the raising of the pavement level.

Setting

Sited on the approach to Holywood town centre.

Historical information

The Boundary Post is dated 1858 and is first shown, captioned ‘B.P.’ on the third edition OS map of 1900-02, where it marks the urban district boundary and is shown close to a mile post. The post bears the words, ‘Hollywood Commissioners’ and was erected in the same year as the 1858 revision of the ordnance survey map.

The post is of a very similar style to a number of boundary posts still to be found in and around Belfast, the majority of which are dated ‘1918’, although the date on these may be a later addition. These posts mark the electoral wards and municipal divisions of Belfast. (www.geograph.ie)

Cast-iron mileposts had begun to be erected by Irish Grand Juries and turnpike trusts from the around the first decade of the nineteenth century. (Rynne, p.322) Cast-iron boundary markers appear to be a later development of this trend.

The boundary post has lost several inches in height since 1973 due to rises in the road level since the first survey. (First survey photograph)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/1/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1900-02
2. PRONI OS/6/3/1/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-31
3. PRONI OS/6/3/1/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1938-41
4. First survey photograph

Secondary Sources

1. Rynne, C “Industrial Ireland 1750-1930, An Archaeology” Cork: Collins Press, 2006
2. www.geograph.ie

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A cast-iron boundary post dated 1858. The boundary post is in fair condition, with the raised lettering intact and discernable. Its interest is mainly historic, representing the development of the town in the mid Nineteenth century.