View source for Standedge

{{distinguish|Stanage (disambiguation){{!}}Stanage}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Location map|United Kingdom
|label      =
|background = white
|lat        = 53.583196 
|long       = -1.969031
|caption    = <small>Map showing the location of Standedge in the United Kingdom</small>
|float      = right 
|width      = 185
}}
'''Standedge ''' ({{IPAc-en|s|t|æ|n|ɪ|dʒ}}) is a [[moorland]] [[escarpment]] in the [[Pennines|Pennine Hills]] of northern England between [[Marsden, West Yorkshire]] and [[Diggle, Greater Manchester]]. Standedge has been a major moorland crossing point since [[Roman Empire|Roman times]] and possibly earlier.

From east to west, Standedge is crossed by five generations of road crossing, the earliest a [[Roman road]] from [[York]] to [[Chester]] and the latest the [[A62 road]]. The [[Huddersfield Narrow Canal]] and the railway line from [[Leeds]] to [[Manchester]] pass underground in the [[Standedge Tunnels]]. The [[Pennine Way]] long-distance footpath passes through Standedge in a north&ndash;south direction along the Pennines.

Much of Standedge is in the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust's]] [[Marsden Moor Estate]]. Administratively, Standedge is split between [[Kirklees]] and [[Metropolitan Borough of Oldham|Oldham]].

== Surface crossings ==
[[Image:Standedge from Pule Hill.jpg|thumb|right|Standedge seen from the top of Pule Hill. The A62 cutting and Redbrook Reservoir can be seen.]]
The earliest known crossing of Standedge is the [[Roman roads|Roman road]] connecting the [[Castra|Roman forts]] at [[Slack Roman fort|Slack]] and [[Castleshaw Roman fort|Castleshaw]], on the way from York to Chester. The road is believed to have been built in AD 80. Its course was identified in 1969 to the north-east of Castleshaw fort, climbing Standedge Ridge by means of a graded terraceway. It was originally more than 22 feet (6.7 m) wide but has been considerably eroded.<ref name=mlhgct>{{cite web | title = Communications and Transport in the Marsden area | url = http://www.marsdenhistory.co.uk/communications.html | publisher = Marsden Local History Group | accessdate = 7 January 2007 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20061231180022/http://www.marsdenhistory.co.uk/communications.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 31 December 2006}}</ref><ref name=rombrit>{{cite web | title = RIGODVNVM | url = http://www.roman-britain.co.uk/places/rigodunum/ | publisher = roman-britain.co.uk | accessdate = 8 January 2007 }}</ref>

After the Roman road fell into disuse, travel across the moors was restricted to tracks, used by [[packhorse]]s. One crossed from Marsden to [[Rochdale]]. Narrow and [[packhorse bridge]]s can be found in several places on the moors, including the ''Close Gate Bridge'' near Marsden.<ref name="mlhgct"/>

The first [[metalled road]] between Huddersfield to Manchester was built in 1760. It was followed by another road, known locally as ''the coach road'', built by [[John Metcalf (civil engineer)|John Metcalf]] (Blind Jack of [[Knaresborough]]) in 1791. It crossed the Pennine ridge south of the present Standedge cutting.<ref name="mlhgct"/>

In 1839 the coach road was replaced by a new [[toll road|turnpike road]], the ''Wakefield and Austerlands Toll Road''. Trenches were cut in the coach road, to prevent it being used as a free alternative. This route is used today by the [[A62 road]], crossing the summit of Standedge in a cutting. The [[M62 motorway]] now carries most cross-Pennine road traffic on a different route to the north of Standedge.<ref name="mlhgct"/>

== Tunnel crossings ==
[[Image:Standedge-tunnel.jpg|thumb|right|Entrance to Standedge Tunnel on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal]]
{{main|Standedge Tunnels}}
Four parallel tunnels run under Standedge between Diggle and Marsden. The single [[canal]] tunnel on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal is the oldest, having been opened in 1811, and is still in use. Three railway tunnels were opened, the first in 1848, and in 1871 and 1894, but only the 1894 tunnel still carries rail traffic. 
The four tunnels are linked by cross-tunnels or [[adit]]s at strategic intervals inside the tunnels, and the 1848 rail tunnel has been made accessible to road vehicles for use as an emergency access and evacuation route for the other tunnels.

==Standedge==
Standedge is a sparsely populated area, although it does have two former [[public house]]s – the Carriage House and the Great Western – within a few hundred metres of each other on the A62 road. There are two reservoirs and pathways for hikers.

Standedge can be accessed by bus on the [[Greater Manchester bus route 184|184]] service between Huddersfield and Manchester via [[Oldham]]. The service is run by [[First Greater Manchester]] and there are bus stops on each side of the road near the summit of Standedge (at the crossing of the [[Pennine Way]] and [[Pennine Bridleway]]). The buses are hourly Monday to Saturday daytime and run every two hours on Sunday daytimes.

== References ==
{{commons category}}
<references />

<BR>
{{coord|53|34|59.51|N|01|58|8.51|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}}

[[Category:Geography of Kirklees]]
[[Category:Geography of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham]]
[[Category:Mountains and hills of the Peak District]]
[[Category:Hills of West Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Mountains and hills of Greater Manchester]]
[[Category:Escarpments of England]]
[[Category:Mountains and hills of the Pennines]]