John Ironmonger

You come across as manner of oddity whilst out wandering. There's a cutting through Ackling Dyke, the Roman road, at Harley Gap, and on one side, set into the Roman road's Agger, is a memorial stone to 'John Ironmonger 1919-1986'. I wonder why John has a memorial here? It's a rather cool spot. I don't know who John was, I don't know whether he was an ironmonger or not, but I know someone cared a lot about him, it's in beautiful spot for a memorial stone. Well placed on the top of Harley Down, a hill with good views across swathes of the chase, across it's history, and close to many of the areas most important prehistoric sites. There's continuity in it too, when you think about it, it's little different to the Chase's barrows in motivation, the permanent memorialising of a person at a significant place in a landscape significant to that person. It's well old school, really. 

I've done an internet search on John Ironmonger 1919-1986 and turned up absolutely nought, he shall remain a mystery, like Townley Shenton.