Old maps

[Top-of-the-hill]

   On the late 19th century O.S. maps of my ancestral village there is marked "Paling post". It appears to be where the parish boundary crosses a road, but I can't work out quite what it would have been. I have looked at O.S. websites, but presume the term is no longer used.

[Nick_Ips]

A 'paling' is a piece of wood cut in the rough out of a log. Typically used as the vertical elements of fencing.

A 'paling post' might be a post cut in the same manner used as a boundary marker?

[stanmapstone]

Can you post the reference to the map and the scale? Looking at the Conventional Signs and Writing used on the 1/2500 County Series Plans there is no mention of "Paling Post".

Stan

[Top-of-the-hill]

   It is 25inch 1896. The same thing appears on the 1872.

[Greensleeves]

I'm wondering if it refers to  the remains of a fence ie some posts, which marked out an ancient boundary.  The image of the map you shared seems to indicate a boundary at that location.

Regards
GS

[Nick_Ips]

At that scale details of certain boundaries are described on the map as semi-free text. There are some standard terms such as "Und" = Undefined as shown towards the top of the extract. Other ones might be "CR" = Centre of road and "RH" = Root of hedge for example. A free-text one I've often seen is "Pollard" denoting a pollarded tree.

The 'paling post' appears to be located where there is a change in direction of the boundary (hence a marker post might be used), but also seems to be adjacent to a stream, so possibly is there to mark something related to the stream? Like maintenance responsibilities, fishing rights, something similar?

[Top-of-the-hill]

   It is the parish boundary crossing the road, presumably that is what the post is marking, though it is usually a boundary stone? The stream is a winterbourne, which only runs when the water table is high enough, though it probably ran more in the past.

[stanmapstone]

Under the Survey Act the OS was entitled to call for a 'meresman' to point out to the surveyors the position of a public boundary. Public boundaries being invisible were 'mered' by reference to visible detail. The procedure was for the surveyor to be accompanied by a 'meresman' appointed by the parish to point out or verify the exact position of the boundary relative to detail on the ground. In this case it appears that the 'paling post' was an accepted point on the boundary, instead of a boundary stone/post.
Single trees which were prominent landmarks, had historical interest, or were points defining an administrative boundary were surveyed accurately with the type stated. 

Stan 

[Mart 'n' Al]

I will mention that the expression 'beyond the pale' refers to something outside of what is familiar, i.e. outside the fenced area.

Martin