Pair of county boundary markers sited where the M62 crosses between Lancashire and Yorkshire

Summary

Bespoke boundary markers for the crossing of the M62 motorway over the Lancashire/Yorkshire boundary, featuring plaques commemorating the inaugural visit by Queen Elizabeth II on 14 October 1971.

Reasons for Designation

The pair of county boundary markers sited where the M62 crosses the boundary between Lancashire and Yorkshire is included on the List at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* the clever design combining local vernacular construction with the strong form of the cast-concrete markers, symbolising and reflecting the modernity of the motorway cutting through the rock of the Pennine watershed;
* for the use of embossed symbols, the historic Red and White Roses of the two counties instead of lettering.

Historic interest:

* as markers of the ground-breaking engineering of the M62, sited close to the summit of Britain’s highest motorway;
* for the commemorative plaques recording the inaugural visit by Queen Elizabeth II.

History

A new road linking the ports of Liverpool and Hull via the industrial areas of south Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire was conceived in the 1930s. A planned route was identified by 1952 but this was not proceeded with. A new survey, for what became known as the Lancashire–Yorkshire Motorway, the M62, was started in 1961, the route being settled by the summer of 1963. The most testing section of the motorway to design was that across the high moorlands of the Pennine Ridge. Once constructed, the M62 was the highest motorway in England, its summit being at 372m as it passes via a deep cutting through Windy Hill on the county boundary. Extensive experiments were conducted into the design of embankments and cuttings to prevent problems of drifting snow. New techniques were developed to deal with deep peat deposits and also with the very large quantities of rock that needed to be excavated, this being the first motorway constructed nationally that required extensive deep cuttings. Field trials were even conducted into designs of fencing to prevent sheep from straying onto the motorway. The Pennine section was completed in 1970 and opened to traffic in late December. The official opening by Queen Elizabeth II was held the following year on 14 October 1971, the historic occasion marked with plaques being placed on the specially designed county boundary markers on either side of the motorway. The design of the markers was clearly well-considered: the plinths imitating the local historic vernacular tradition of drystone walling supporting the modernity of a strong geometric form in cast concrete thus reflecting the way that the motorway, principally constructed in concrete built on embankments of rubble stone blasted from the cuttings. Rather than displaying county names, the southern marker displays the Red Rose of Lancashire, and the northern marker the White Rose of Yorkshire as a welcome to the respective counties to the approaching traffic.

This pair of county boundary markers were listed as part of Historic England’s celebration of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Along with many other sites on the National Heritage List for England, the pair of markers highlights the important social, technical and cultural changes that have accompanied Her Majesty’s reign.

Details

Pair of county boundary markers, 1971.

MATERIALS: cast concrete incorporating Pennine aggregate, set on rubble Pennine stone plinths, and with bronze plaques.

DESCRIPTION: set on square plinths that imitate drystone wall construction, the concrete markers are square-based with inclined sides to a flat top, this shape forming a stretched but truncated square-based pyramid. The east face of the marker on the south side of the motorway is embossed with a painted red rose of Lancashire, the west face of the northern marker is embossed with a painted white rose of Yorkshire: the roses thus facing the flow of traffic on either side of the motorway forming a welcome to the respective counties. The sides of each marker that faces across the motorway carry plaques with the crests of the two counties along with the wording:

This plaque marks the boundary between / the counties of Lancaster and York and / was unveiled by / THE QUEEN / on the occasion of / Her Majesty’s inaugural visit to / the Lancashire Yorkshire Motorway M62 / On the 14th October 1971.

Sources

Websites
The Motorway Archive, Motorway Archive Trust, accessed 29 March 2022 from https://web.archive.org/web/20120221224114/http:/www.ciht.org.uk/motorway/m62master.htm

Other
The Times, (Thursday October 14th 1971) pages 14-15

End of official list entry

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