OLD Victorian road signs in Cartmel and Allithwaite have been given a new lease of life thanks to Lower Allithwaite Parish Council and lengthsman Archie Workman

Cast iron road signs were introduced in the United Kingdom during the late 19th Century and are now regarded as an important part of our street furniture heritage, but sadly many are falling into a sad and sorry state through the neglect of regular maintenance.

Lower Allithwaite Parish Council clerk, Phil Turner asked Mr Workman, who keeps the verges and grass tidy, if he could paint the “Allithwaite” road sign on the B5277 road from Grange.

“We were delighted with the transformation” said Phil. “We then asked Archie if he would also restore the three very old traditional waymarkers in the village centre of Cartmel”

Over the last two months Mr Workman has laboriously spent several hours painting the stone signs that date from 1836 and attracted various comments from passers-by that they were being given such loving attention.

“Lots of visitors and residents have come up and asked what I was doing, taken my photograph and thanked me for what I have done to preserve the heritage of these fine specimens of direction - where else will you see a sign saying Lancaster 15 miles over sands ?”

Mr Workman is well known in South Cumbria for cleaning drains and road signs and with the skills he has learnt from restoring these signs. He has set up a new service for parish councils to paint other Victorian road signs, calling himself 'The Old Sign Painter'

“I have been already asked by another two parish councils in South Cumbria to paint their village signs and I am really enjoying doing something for our local communities that show they take great pride in keeping these heritage signs in good condition for the benefit of tourists and locals alike,” he said. “It's a lot less stressful than strimming verges !”