While demolishing the old narrow bridge over the Dane in the nineteenth century, an old canon ball was found. This was supposed to have been left by a division of Cromwell’s army as it marched across country in 1645 on its way to attack Biddulph Castle near Congleton.

Among the rubble was also found a silver shilling of Charles 1, struck in 1644. It bore a legend on the reverse referring to the declaration with which Charles determined to resist his unruly and rebellious Parliament:
REL(igio) PROT (ecta)
Leg (is) ANG (liae)
LIB (ertas) PAR (liamenti)
1644

In the later period of civil unrest known as the 1745 Rebellion, Charles Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie – pretender to the English throne) landed in Scotland from France, raised an army and marched south into England to try and depose King George 1.

The Scottish army passed through Macclesfield and one column of the army took the road through Wincle and Danebridge on its way to Derby. (It is said that Bonnie Prince Charlie himself passed through, stopping at the Ship Inn and staying at Swthamley Hall to the South of the river Dane.)

Most armies at the time survived by foraging from the land they passed through. However, local legend has it that an area known as Hammond’s Hole just down the river from Danebridge Mill was used to hide farm animals and produce at such times, so this part of the Scottish army may not have had much success foraging here as it might have hoped.

Certainly this deception would have been needed again within days, for as soon as the Scots reached Derby they decided it was futile to continue and retraced their route northwards.

Until quite recently, the Ship Inn had some relics dating back to the 1745 visit, including a flintlock and part of a newspaper belonging to one of the Scottish soldiers.

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