While the Romans introduced measured distance markers to Britain in 55 BC, most surviving milestones are much younger. The majority date from after the development of the roads that followed effective mapping in the seventeenth century. Many Turnpike trusts were formed (from 1663) to manage the condition of deteriorating roads and in 1766 it became compulsory for the trusts to mark every mile. Design and material used for milestones varied. In 1878, highways in Scotland became the responsibility of the newly formed county councils, as did the milestones on their roads. This cast iron milestone on the A81 indicates the distance to the Aberfoil Inn and Glasgow’s Royal Exchange