The Saddleworth district of the West Riding was traditionally divided into four meres, each further divided into two or three divisions, commonly called upper, middle and lower. See www.yorkshiremilestones.co.uk/2020/08/12/saddleworth-boundary-stones for more information.
These boundaries, probably dating from pre-Norman times, bore little relation to the settlements that developed over the centuries. Uppermill for example (or Upper Mill as it is referred to on early Ordnance Survey maps) grew rapidly in the 19th century from a few houses around the eponymous mill to a population of 794 in 1841 and double that 50 years later.
In 1864 the inhabitants (or at least those with a say in the matter) of the MiddleDivision of Quickmere elected to become the autonomous Springhead Local Board of Health, and this inspired the inhabitants of Uppermill to do likewise four years later.
The 1894 Local Government Act formalised local government arrangements in England, following the establishment of County Councils in 1888: Local Boards became Urban District Councils, while all other rural parishes were combined into Rural Districts. All of Saddleworth outside Springhead and Uppermill became the Saddleworth Rural District, and the meres ceased to have any significance.
In 1900 the Rural District was merged with Uppermill UD and became the Saddleworth Urban District. Finally in 1937 in a major reorganisation in the West Riding Springhead was merged into it to create the body that continued to the next reorganisation in 1974, and exists today, albeit with reduced responsibilities, as the Saddleworth Parish Council.
The area of the local board comprised only a small part of Lordsmere, as can be seen from the Ordnance Survey maps published around 1894. The boundary on the west was the railway. Its northern point was just south of the roundabout where the road to Dobcross goes off to the left; the southern point, near Wade Lock, was actually the original boundary with Shawmere. Between these points the roughly semi-circular eastern boundary took in just the built-up area.
Curiously, it seems that it was not until nearly 20 years after its formation that, at a committee meeting of the Local Board on 2nd June 1886, it was resolved that stone markers be erected to define this boundary. Each was to be given a letter and marked with the words ULB BOUNDARY.
Four of these survive in their original locations.
The southernmost point, on the east side of the main road, just beyond where it crosses the canal, is marked by a stone clearly carved A / ULB / BOUNDARY.
From here it is a short distance to the railway line, and the boundary now follows the line of this northwards all the way to the point on High Street where the railway viaduct crosses the road. A stone stands here, carved B / ULB / BOUNDARY.
From here it goes down High Street as far as the small Pickhill Brook, just south of Ryefields Drive; a stone that has lost its top half and has no surviving markings stands here. This, I believe, would have been stone C.
No stones survive after this until the one marked I as described below, but those marked on the old Ordnance Survey maps would fit the A-Z sequence as follows:
- D: the boundary following Pickhill Brook to a stone at a point just beyond the old railway line. Sadly I have failed to find any trace of this.
- E and F: the boundary heading roughly SSW to Church Road, just before the old railway bridge: two stones are marked on the old map, one on each side of the road.
- G: heading SW, and crossing Station Road, where there was another boundary stone
- H: continuing in this direction and following a small stream now partly culverted, it reaches the River Tame where another stone was located.
Stone I can be found as the boundary follows the river south: it is about 60 metres north of Carr Lane Bridge carved I / ULB / BOUNDARY. At this point the boundary heads east to take in a piece of land around Rush Hill before rejoining the river. Rush Hill was the home of local worthy and mill-owner John Edward Pratt.
One more stone is marked (J) on the map at the point where the boundary crossed the river and the canal and returned to the main road to boundary stone A. The location of this stone is inaccessible in undergrowth behind some lock-up garages so it may still be there.
Across the road from the stone marked A, and a little further south, another stone can just be seen on the other side of the road, sadly almost buried under tarmac. There is evidence of carving on it: this appears to have the tops of the letters U L B on it but it either was not lettered or has lost its top. This stone, while it appears to be one of the ULB stones, actually marks the original boundary between Lordsmere and Shawmere, and is not marked on the 1854 map.
I am informed that two more stones are in the excellent Saddleworth Museum in the centre of Uppermill.
RWH / June 2024
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