Miscellaneous Milestones of Cheshire
      Mile markers in Cheshire are dominated by the almost ubiquitous Cheshire County Council (CCC) cast iron "milestones" mainly dated 1896 and 1898.  Most, if not all, appear to have been manufactured by W H Smith of Whitchurch (Shropshire) as can be seen by the makers mark cast into the lower left or sometimes lower right face.  They are found mostly alongside main A and B class roads but can be found in less obvious places such as one on a minor road at Cleulow Cross, just off the A54, 7 miles east of Congleton.  Other dates have been found such as a 1901 at No Mans Heath and a 1914 two miles north of Sandbach.  Undated examples also exist but these are modern replacements.  Other iron types are also prominent including the "Derby Bobbins" along the A537 from Macclesfield to Buxton road and the "open book" type of which at least five different variations have been identified so far. The open book types are similar in appearance to those alongside the Trent & Mersey canal although of later date.
      The use of stone must have been common in times past but a survey carried out in the east of the county on just one day on 9 May 2003 in the east of the county indicated the apparent rarity of stone today.  There is an almost complete series of "wedge" type stones between Macclesfield and Whaley Bridge on the A5002 (Macclesfield to Chesterfield route); a single "headstone" type on the A54 at Allgreave and a "flatback" type set next to a "CCC 1896" type post at Warren on the A536 (Macclesfield to Congleton) road.  A further weekend survey in October 2003 in the south and west of the county revealed only "CCC 1896" and "CCC 1998"  types, plus a single open book example.  Further surveys carried out in February/March 2004 and further images will be coming online.

EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN VIEWING MILESTONES IN CHESHIRE.  MOST OF THE "A" CLASS ROADS ARE ALL VERY BUSY WITH HGV TRAFFIC AND VIEWING MILESTONES IN COUNTRY AREAS WHERE THERE ARE NO FOOTPATHS AND NARROW VERGES IS HAZARDOUS!  Particularly dangerous locations will be indicated in the entries.

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