Milestones

Introduction

Prior to the Roman era, milestones were used in Britain as measuring points or as tribal meeting place. Nowadays, these are more accurately referred to as 'direction posts', 'guide posts', 'boundary markers' or 'way markers', but, nevertheless, they were the direct ancestor of milestones. It was not until the Roman era that the first true milestones arrived in Britain where they were extensively used to measure distances along the many Roman roads.

With the widespread introduction of canals during the 18th century, the natural thing to do was to place milestones along them as well. Many of these have now been lost due to a combination of negligence, vandalism, unsympathetic development and under the tracks of bulldozers making 'improvements'. The Peak Forest Canal was certainly not immune to losses such as these. Surviving relics from the bygone age of working canals need protection and some care if they are to remain part of our industrial heritage.

Peak Forest Canal

Milestones on the Peak Forest Canal were made of gritstone and they consisted of rectangular stones of variable section and height with a double ogee curved top. They were placed at ½-mile intervals over the length of the canal and, in general, those marking half miles were half the thickness of those marking miles. With the exception of the 0 and 8 milestones, all were positioned with their face at 90° to the canal.

Distances along the canal were measured from the datum (or zero) milestone located at Ashton Junction, which is at the south end of the Tame Aqueduct in Dukinfield. Only one original milestone had the details carved into it and this is the 8 milestone adjoining lock 15 at Marple. This was inscribed:

At the outbreak of the Second World War, the bottom line was chiselled out in case the place-name was of use to the enemy.

Initially, it was thought that all other milestones did not have the mileage marked on them but a close examination of the 4 milestone in 1975 showed that distances were painted on them with white paint. This particular milestone is no longer extant as a result of vandalism.

Peak Forest Tramway

Distances along the tramway were similarly measured from the start of the Peak Forest Canal at the south end of the Tame Aqueduct in Dukinfield and the first milestone on the tramway was the 15 milestone just outside Bugsworth Basin. Milestones were placed at half-mile intervals along the canal but there is no evidence to show that this practice was continued along the tramway. Instead, it appears that they were only placed at intervals of one mile. It is assumed that those on the tramway were similarly painted with distances.

Boundary Markers

The Peak Forest Canal Company also set up stone boundary markers like the one illustrated on the right. These indicated the limits of land in company ownership and their purpose was to prevent disputes with neighbouring landowners. The boundary of most of the company's land was well defined by drystone walls or similar, so it was unnecessary to provide boundary markers in large quantities. Rather, they were provided at isolated locations where the canal company's land extended beyond the normal width of the canal boundary walls for constructional or legal reasons. Regrettably, none of these have survived.

Picture Gallery

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Milestone	Lower Peak Forest Canal Dukinfield to Bottom Lock, Marple	Image
0 Milestone Date: 9 Feb 1978	This is the datum milestone for all distances along the Peak Forest Canal and Tramway and it is located at Ashton Junction at the south end of the Tame Aqueduct, Dukinfield.
½ Milestone		No image available
1 Milestone Date: 6 Mar 1978	Before Dukinfield Hall (or Well) Bridge, Dukinfield.
1½ Milestone		No image available
2 Milestone Date: 4 Mar 1978	Before Throstle Bank (or Bowlers) Tunnel, Hyde.
2½ Milestone Date: 4 Mar 1978	Before Captain Clarke's (or Woodend) Bridge, Hyde.
3 Milestone Date: 4 Mar 1978	Beyond the former Foxholes Footbridge, Hyde.
3½ Milestone Date: 4 Mar 1978	Before Burgess's Bridge, Woodley.
4 Milestone Date: 4 Mar 1978	Before the former Woodley Swivel and Footbridge. This milestone is no longer extant and only the stub remains.
4½ Milestone	After Butterhouse Green Tunnel, Woodley. No longer extant.	Click here
5 Milestone Date: 28 Jul 1978	Before the Sheffield and Midland Railway Bridge, Woodley.
5½ Milestone Date: 9 Feb 1978	At the south end of Hatherlow Aqueduct, Romiley.
6 Milestone Date: 9 Feb 1978	Before the north west portal of Hyde Bank Tunnel, Romiley.
6½ Milestone		No image available
7 Milestone Date: 2 Mar 2008	Just before Bottom Lock House, Marple.

Milestone	Marple Locks	Image
7½ Milestone Date: 11 Feb 1978	Between locks 7 and 8, Marple.
8 Milestone Date: 24 Jul 1978	Adjoining lock 15, Marple.

Milestone	Upper Peak Forest Canal Top Lock, Marple, to Bugsworth Basin	Image
8½ Milestone Date: 24 Jul 1978	Beyond Brick Change Bridge, Marple
9 Milestone Date: 24 Jul 1978	Before Plucks (or Rawton Walls) Bridge, Marple.
9½ Milestone Date: 11 Feb 1978	Before the former Moores (or Turflea) Swivel Bridge, Strines.
10 Milestone Date: 11 Feb 1978	Beyond Stanley Hall (or Kicker's) Bridge, Strines.
10½ Milestone		No image available
11 Milestone Date: 27 Aug 1978	Beyond Dryhurst Bridge, Disley.
11½ Milestone		No image available
12 Milestone Date: 27 Aug 1978	Immediately beyond Thornsett Road (or Albion Road) Bridge, Newtown, New Mills
12½ Milestone		No image available
13 Milestone Date: 11 Feb 1978	Before Furness Brook Aqueduct, Furness Vale.
13½ Milestone Date: 11 Feb 1978	Beyond the former Bongs (or Yeardsley Bank) Swivel Bridge, Furness Vale.
14 Milestone Date: 30 Apr 1978	Before Whaley Bridge Junction, Bridgemont. No longer extant.
14½ Milestone Date: 5 Nov 2004	Immediately beyond the second horse-transfer bridge at Bugsworth Basin. This milestone was specially commissioned to commemorate the Millennium and it is inscribed: 14½ MILES TO ASHTON JUNC. The presence of an original milestone at, or near, this point is unknown.
14½ milestone Date: 5 Nov 2004	The reverse of the 14½ milestone is inscribed: IWPS Ltd 2000 IN MEMORY OF DENNIS LOMAS BASIN VOLUNTEER

Milestone	Peak Forest Tramway Bugsworth Canal Basin to Dove Holes Dale	Image
15 Milestone Date: 4 Aug 1976	Outside Bugsworth Canal Basin.
16 Milestone		No image available
17 Milestone		No Image available
18 Milestone Date: 7 Aug 1976	On the inclined plane at Chapel-en-le-Frith. Unlike other milestones on the tramway, this one was positioned with its face parallel to the tramway instead of at 90°.
19 Milestone Date: 2 Aug 1976	At the top of Barmoor Clough.
20 Milestone		No image available