Canterbury County Council Boundary Stones (1)

In 1448 the reigning monarch Henry VI awarded Canterbury a city charter which allowed it to have a mayor. In 1461, not to be outdone by his Lancastrian rival for the throne, Edward IV decreed by his charter that the city should henceforth, indeed ‘for ever’ become a county in its own right, independent of Kent. This state of affairs lasted until April 1974 when reorganisation brought about by the Local Government Act of 1972 abolished Canterbury's status as both city and county. History and standing were not to be denied however and in May 1974 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II confirmed by charter the rank of 'City' be accorded once again.

The earlier reorganisation that took place following the Local Government Act of 1888 did not affect Canterbury's County status as it remained separate from the newly created County Council of Kent. This may have been a somewhat unexpected turn of events as stone boundary markers that were placed to demarcate Canterbury's limit of influence all seem to be dated from around this time. Did the stones represent an act of civic pride, or defiance? Or was tradition (represented by the ancient custom of 'beating the bounds') seen as not to be relied upon without stout markers, the boundaries having been previously marked by wooden crosses?

In any case, some of these CCC marker stones still remain to be seen today. Personal observation and the work of others published on the internet has yielded ten so far, all of a similar style and, as far as can be made out, date. Many more are marked on the 1:2500 Godfrey Edition Canterbury 1906 Old Ordnance Survey Map but much fieldwork (or rambling about if I'm honest) is required to locate further survivors.

For now, here is one of them, located at the St. Stephen's railway crossing.

C.C.C. Boundary Marker 3g 1899