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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Yorkshire (West Riding) => Topic started by: Olive H on Saturday 31 October 09 10:57 GMT (UK)
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Hello
Does anyone know how they would have travelled from Sheffield to Manchester and vice versa prior to 1820 when they built the Snake Pass.
Thanks in advance..
Olive
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Hi Olive.
They probably used the Snake Pass - it's the road which was built in 1820, not the pass. There would have been trackways in existence through the pass since the year blob.
To avoid the high ground would have meant detours either well to the north or well to the south - tripling or quadrupling the journey length. Basically, the only practical way across was one of the several passes - and for Sheffield/Manchester, the Snake Pass was the closest and, so, most convenient. But never, EVER, if there was going to be bad weather - it gets pretty bleak up there.
Mike
EDIT: Bear in mind that the road was a response to commercial pressure - there was no great business reason to travel directly between the two cities before 1820.
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Hi Mike
Thanks for the very informative info :)
Regards
Olive
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What about the other route, over the 'Woodhead Pass'? It depends where in Sheffield they were setting off from. The Wadsley and Langsett Turnpike was opened in 1806 I think, which would link up with the route into Cheshire. David Hey talks about the old Salt Routes in this area - the main one, and branches of it. One of my ancestors, who lived in Midhope, had a child baptised at Stockport in 1824. Unfortunately, I have no idea what they were doing there! The King and Miller, an old pub at Deepcar, was a coaching inn.