Twinning With Armentieres - 50 Years – Stalybridge, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 28.942 W 002° 03.342
30U E 562662 N 5926347
This old cast iron beam from a demolished weaving mill was erected in 2005 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the twinning of Stalybridge in the U.K. with Armentieres in France.
Waymark Code: WMFWFV
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 12/08/2012
Views: 2
Stalybridge has a heritage of textile manufacturing and was one of the earliest towns to develop that industry in the industrial revolution.
Armentieres was chosen as a twin city because it is of a similar size and has a similar heritage as Stalybridge.
The beam stands on the stones from mill’s gate posts and stands at the back of a small formal garden in Armentieres Square.
The beam has the name Stalybridge on the left hand side and Armentieres on the right hand side. In the middle of the beam it states 1955 2005 50 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP. The beam also has the coat of arms of both towns.
There is a blue plaque in front of the beam that tells its story.
Stalybridge : Armentieres
1955-2005 : 50 Years of Friendship
The beam which has been used to
commemorate the 50th anniversary
of the twinning link between
Stalybridge and Armentieres, is
an inverted fish back ‘T’ beam,
salvaged from Longlands Mill,
Castle Street, Stalybridge.
The beam is believed to have been cast on the site of the
mill in the mid 19th century. At 8.8 metres in length, its
construction pushed the boundary for the maximum span
for this material, section design and loading. The stone
blocks formed part of the Longland Mill main gates.
The beam and blocks have been incorporated into the
landscape design to commemorate the twinning link
between Stalybridge and Armentieres and to retain some
of the rich heritage of Stalybridge.