Mystery coal post is a London lamp post

For three years this site has been asking the question, ‘Is this a coal post?’

Now, thanks to one eagle-eyed user of the site with a nose for news and an interest in local history we have found the answer.

No, it's not a coal post, it is a sawn off City of London lamp post situated outside a house in Cucumber Lane, just south of Essendon.

Hertfordshire's coal posts are dotted around the south of the county, some at road junctions, others buried away in woodland and hedgerows. All are more than 130 years old.

A feature on this site explains the history of the posts.

All the grid references given below the pictures relate to the Ordnance Survey Landranger Series 1:50,000 scale map for Luton and Hertford (sheet 166).

Another page on this site shows the location details for all the coal posts in Hertfordshire.

29 May 2003

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