Four shire stone, Boundary marker near Moreton-in-Marsh, England
The Four Shire Stone is a limestone obelisk with a ball finial standing at a road junction, marking where multiple county boundaries meet. The structure features typical English boundary marker design and holds protected heritage status.
Built in the 18th century, the monument originally marked where four counties met before boundary changes in 1931 altered the arrangement. This administrative shift left the stone as a physical reminder of earlier territorial divisions.
The stone inspired J.R.R. Tolkien's fictional Three-Farthing Stone in The Lord of the Rings, marking territorial divisions in the Shire. This literary connection draws readers who recognize the monument's influence on the author's imaginary world.
The stone sits at a road junction and is easily visible from the road, though traffic safety requires attention when approaching. The countryside setting makes it accessible for walking routes through the surrounding farmland.
Five parish boundaries actually converge at this single spot, rather than just the four county boundaries most people know about. This extra layer of administrative overlap makes it a rare geographical anomaly in the English landscape.
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