Reddish Vale Country Park
All images, copyright, Stockport Nature.Com
Lancashire/Cheshire
Boundary Markers
So Brinnington was in Cheshire while Reddish was in Lancashire until 1974, when the Tame ceased to be the border between the two and Greater Manchester was formed.
Friends of the Vale decided it was more than time to commemorate the historic change and create a lasting reminder of the past.
So we commissioned artist Karen Allerton, to help design the ironwork to be seen on either side of the bridge and, with painstaking precision and artistry, she translated our research into the letters, information, poems and emblems you can read on the bridge.
She made the patterns and they were taken to a foundry in Wigan where the ironwork you see now was finally cast and finished.
Through it, we have tried to show the essence of our ancient heritage and the kindness,generosity and productivity which have made us the people we are.
Look for the Red Rose of Lancashire, the Wheat sheaf of Cheshire, a grinning Cheshire Cat and the Manchester Bee and reflect with pride on the rich history of the place where we all live today.
When you cross the bridge across the Tame, near the Visitor Centre, you will notice its swift-flowing waters and powerful meanders, a dramatic sight even on the quietest of days.
However, the name of the river has nothing to do with the force of its flow, but derives from a Celtic word meaning 'border or boundary'.
Look down at the ironwork and read closely what it tells you about the historic border between the Counties Palatine of Lancaster and Chester. These were areas ruled over by noblemen with special authority from the king and begun by the Norman dynasty.
Later they became known as the Counties of Lancashire and Cheshire.