The Mottram Frog Stone, Roe Cross, Mottram in Longdendale, Tameside, Greater Manchester

'The Mottram Frog Stone

During the construction of

Mottram Deep Cutting (1814-1826), a

stonemason split a piece of stone and discovered

the outline of a frog or toad. It is believed that it

crawled into a cavity in the stone through a

small crack, then fed on insects until it was

too large to escape. Sucessive generations

have marked the stone to

keep the story alive.'

This plaque couldn't be a traditional red one (for history) because it's a part of folklore, an unfounded tale that nevertheless is part of the fabric of the area. The stone itself is said to be regularly repainted, although when I came along it wasn't too recognisable as a frog.