Erected to inform travellers how far they have come and how far they still have to go, milestones are a relic of a time when life moved more slowly.

This book tells the story of milestones, as well as road measurement. It uses the great variety of designs to argue the importance of conservation and to illustrate the compelling fascination of the subject. Mervyn Benford has worked in education all his professional life and has a consuming interest in history.