Dorset charity on a mission to retain village fingerpost signs
The CPRE in the county has put over £22,000 towards the project
16\0 of Dorset's iconic fingerpost signs have been repaired and restored, through a project led by the county's CPRE.
The charity's been working since 2017 on a scheme to maintain the signage in villages, putting a total of £22,337.50 towards it.
Back in the 1950s, there were over 1,300 of the fingerposts around Dorset - with only 717 remaining today.
Hundreds of signs have been renewed by Parish and Town Councils, community groups, and individuals, with support from Dorset CPRE.
Roger Bond, from Dorset Fingerpost Restorers, co-ordinates the restoration project, working from his home workshop.
He repairs and restores characters on new oak ‘fingers’ whilst Coles Castings provide new metalworks.
Roger Bond said: “Dorset has only a few surviving fully cast-iron fingerposts, so we were pleased to have fully restored this post in the centre of Evershot village. After several visits and much surface preparation and painting, a missing finger was located and a new cast finger to Holywell was fitted: made by Coles Castings foundry in Melbury Abbas.”
Neil Matthews, Chair of Dorset CPRE, said:
"These distinctive signposts which show, not only distances and directions, but also the grid reference of the junctions concerned are a real boon to walkers and drivers in the county. I am pleased that Dorset CPRE are able to support this scheme which enhances the character and uniqueness of the Dorset countryside."
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