Rochdale Canal Mile 11 Milepost – Walsden, 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 11 from the start of the Rochdale Canal in Sowerby Bridge.

Nearby is one of the few original stone milestones left on 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.

Condition: Worn Material: Metal Inscription:                  ROCHDALE CANAL TRUST MANCHESTER    SOWERBY                       BRIDGE 21 MILES          11 MILES Name of road: The Rochdale Canal Date placed: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   01/15/2013 hulletteers visited it