Rochdale Canal Original Mile 10 Milepost – Todmorden, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 42.750 W 002° 05.919
30U E 559488 N 5951912
This stone milestone marks the 10th mile from the start of the canal in Sowerby Bridge.
Waymark Code: WMEM5F
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 06/12/2012
Views: 2
The Rochdale Canal was the first canal built to cross the Pennines to connect Lancashire with Yorkshire.
It was completed in 1804 and connected Sowerby Bridge in Yorkshire with Manchester in Lancashire 32 miles away.
Competition from railways and roads subsequently led to a decline in goods being carried and by 1937 the only section left in operation was at the Manchester end of the canal.
In 1965 there was talk of abandoning the canal but by this time leisure boating had become very popular in the UK and there was a campaign to keep it open. Work was started and the canal slowly re-opened in a number of different stages. The whole length finally reopened in September 2007.
This original stone milestone marks mile 10 from the start of the Rochdale Canal in Sowerby Bridge. It is next to both lock 19 and the road bridge that carries Burnley Road (A6033) over the canal.
Nearby is one of a set of new cast iron milestones installed by the Rochdale Canal Society to mark the restoration of the canal.
I’m not sure why there is a difference in the location, except that the route did have to be changed slightly near to the start of the canal at Sowerby Bridge. This was due to the canal having been blocked by a road widening scheme and a new short tunnel having to be built.
This milestone is an English Heritage Grade II listed building. The listing entry states that is early 18th Century and that milestones are rare on the canal. (
visit link)