Summary

A canal milestone of 1797, repositioned around 1890, for the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal. These stones marked the quarter-mile distances along the canal, which served many closely-spaced collieries.

Description

A canal milestone of 1797, repositioned around 1890, for the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal.

MATERIALS: buff sandstone.

DESCRIPTION: the post stands around half a metre high and is set into the ground to the south of the towpath. It is rectangular in cross-section, with a pointed top. The front (north) face is dressed (and now quite weathered), but the other faces rough-hewn. The front is inscribed ‘M/ 9’ (the distance from Manchester) in deeply-incised, serifed lettering.

History

The milestone at 9 miles from Manchester was originally erected in 1797, and installed in its current location around 1890. The Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal was authorised by Parliament in 1791 and opened to both of its destinations by 1797. It comprised a level summit canal extending to Bolton and Bury, and a branch descending 54m from Nob End (in the middle of this level) to Salford. The canal was connected to the River Irwell in 1808, and then across the Irwell to the Bridgewater Canal in 1838, and to the Rochdale Canal via the Manchester and Salford Junction Canal in 1839. This was principally a coal canal, and the frequency of collieries along it drove the requirement for distance posts to be sited every quarter of a mile, to allow accurate charging of tolls.

The Ordnance Survey (OS) 1:10.560 map of 1850 (surveyed between 1844 and 1846) marks a stone at this distance from Manchester, on the north bank of the canal. The OS 1:2,500 map of 1893 (surveyed in 1890) also marks the stone there. The revision of 1907 to 1908 (published in 1909) marks the stone in its present location, approximately 120m west of where it had been marked in 1844. Around 1890, several of the canal’s milestones were moved slightly closer to Salford, and from the north bank to the south bank. The same map marks the nearby steam crane of the Mount Sion bleach works (National Heritage List for England (NHLE) entry 1242921).

This post is one of around 20 that are thought to survive in situ. One unbroken sequence of eight stones, spanning from the 7-mile marker on the Salford branch up to 8 3/4 miles on the Bolton branch, was listed in 1986. This corresponding sequence extends by another eight stones to the 10-mile stone on the Bury branch. There is also a shorter sequence half a mile further north, from 10 3/4 to 11 3/4 miles on the Bury branch, which is missing the stone at 11 1/2 miles.

A major breach of the canal in 1936 cut the Bury branch off from Bolton and Salford, but this branch continued to be used for local traffic until 1966, and (in 2025) several sections are still in water. The entire canal was officially closed in 1961.

Reasons for Listing

The Manchester Bolton and Bury Canal Milestone At 9 Miles From Manchester, a canal milestone of 1797 repositioned around 1890, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* as a lettered milestone in its historic position it is a good example of historic canal furniture and illustrates the commercial operation of the canal.

Group value:

* it has a strong visual and proximal relationship with the listed Mount Sion Steam Crane (NHLE 1242921).

Recommended Books

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  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
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  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair