Bollington’s Peak Park marker

Above: Cllr Andrew Gregory and Graham Barrow with the new boundary stone

Bollington is celebrating its proximity to the Peak District National Park with the siting of a new boundary marker.

Bollington sits close to the Peak District border but, since the National Park was established in 1951, there has been no boundary marker in the area.

Now, with support from the Peak District National Park Foundation, local people have worked together to create a boundary plinth and millstone at the foot of Blaze Hill in Rainow, just outside Bollington.

The marker is made with local Kerridge stone, with a 3 ft diameter millstone on the top. It measures three-quarters of the scale of boundary markers on main roads, to reflect its minor road location and setting.

The project began as a proposal in the Bollington Tourism Plan, prepared by the Bollington Destination Forum, and is designed to raise the profile of the National Park among Bollington residents and businesses as well as with visitors. 

Funding was assembled through the Bollington Initiative Trust – with grants from the Peak District National Park Foundation and the Peak District Communities Small Grant Fund.

Graham Barrow, who first had the idea for the boundary marker, said: “It’s really gratifying to see this project come to fruition after first being suggested almost a decade ago.

“Lots of local people have been involved in both the funding and the construction. We’d like to thank landowner Andrew Stubbs, for allowing us to place the marker, as well as local contractor John Drabble and Son and stonemason William Warrington, for the high quality of their work.

“And, of course, many thanks to the Peak District National Park Foundation and the Peak District Communities Small Grant Fund, whose grants made this project possible.

“It’s nice that whenever anyone walks or drives up Blaze Hill, they’ll be reminded that they are entering the National Park.”

The boundary marker was unveiled on by Cheshire East councillor Andrew Gregory, who is also a Member of the Peak District National Park Authority.

Cllr Gregory added: “This area sits close to both urban Greater Manchester and the Peak District National Park. As we’ve learned, especially during the pandemic, access to the countryside and nature is so important to our wellbeing and health.

“So it’s great that we have this marker to welcome locals and visitors to the National Park, both now and for future generations.”