Rochdale Canal Mile 5 - Hebden Bridge, UK - Milestones on Waymarking.com

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.

A new set of cast iron milestones was installed by the Rochdale Canal Society to mark the restoration of the canal.

This milestone marks mile 5 from the start of the canal in Sowerby Bridge, with 27 miles to Manchester. This particular milestone is very close to Falling Royd bridge where the A646 crosses the canal.

Condition: Immaculate Material: Metal Inscription:                 5 ROCHDALE CANAL TRUST SOWERBY   MANCHESTER BRIDGE 5 MILES         27 MILES Name of road: The Rochdale Canal Date placed: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   03/10/2013 His 'n' Hers visited it 01/15/2013 hulletteers visited it

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