The Peak Forest canal runs for 15 miles from Ashton-under-Lyne to Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire. This interesting extract is taken from 'The Industrial Heritage of Britain' website.
Milestones on the Peak Forest Canal were made of gritstone and they consisted of rectangular stones of variable section and height with a double ogee curved top. They were placed at ½-mile intervals over the length of the canal and, in general, those marking half miles were half the thickness of those marking miles. With the exception of the 0 and 8 milestones, all were positioned with their face at 90º to the canal.
Distances along the canal were measured from the datum (or zero) milestone located at Ashton Junction, which is at the south end of the Tame Aqueduct in Dukinfield. Only one original milestone had the details carved into it and this is the 8 milestone adjoining lock 15 at Marple. This is inscribed:
At the outbreak of the Second World War, the bottom line was chiselled out in case the place-name was of use to the enemy.
Initially, it was thought that all other milestones did not have the mileage marked on them but a close examination of the 4 milestone in 1975 showed that distances were painted on them with white paint. This particular milestone is no longer extant as a result of vandalism.
So far, we have been unable to identify the distance stones we have seen.
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