
Milestones
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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. | ![]() |