Preserving Local Heritage – Heald Green Finger Post Restored.

A huge thank you and congratulations to Mark O’Connor, our Group Engineering Leader, for his outstanding work in restoring the historic Heald Green Finger Post after it had completely fallen apart.

This was far from a straightforward project. The original finger post was in an extremely poor condition, requiring significant engineering expertise to carefully restore and preserve its original character. Mark personally oversaw the project from start to finish, collaborating with an external contractor to recast the main post while retaining the original top fingers and loop wherever possible.

What Are Finger Posts?

Finger posts are traditional upright signposts with directional arms, often referred to as “fingers,” designed to guide travellers along roads, footpaths, and trails.

Displaying place names, directions, and sometimes distances, they have helped motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians navigate through rural areas, town centres, and visitor destinations for generations.

Maintaining and restoring finger posts is important not only for their practical purpose, but also for preserving local heritage and character. Beautifully restored finger posts add charm to villages, market towns, and rural routes, creating a stronger sense of place for residents and visitors alike. They are often valued as distinctive landmarks that reflect local history, community pride, and identity.

As demonstrated in the images below, the Heald Green Finger Post has now been beautifully restored and returned to its former glory.

Images: Heald Green Finger Post beautifully restored.

The local Heald Green community is delighted to see this much-loved landmark brought back to life, and we would once again like to extend our special thanks to Mark O’Connor for his dedication, craftsmanship, and exceptional engineering skills in delivering this fantastic restoration project.