DATESTONES collected by a Rossendale historian who died this year are to be added to a village’s ‘Path of History’.

Before John Burton Taylor, known as JB, died in May he had planned to donate around 40 datestones and bricks from buildings across the Valley to members of Stacksteads Countryside Park Group for them to incorporate them into the Path of History.

With the permission of JB’s daughter the group has collected the stones.

They will now be added to the Path of History, which is situated in a garden off Newchurch Road, and is made up of datestones from local buildings.

The group intends to insert a permanent memorial to JB at the Path of History and is also hoping to find more out about the stones.

JB, of Fernhill Drive, Stacksteads, died on May 16, aged 69.

He was a former teacher at Fearns High School, Bacup.

The father-of-two published two books, Stories in Stone, Datestones in Rossendale, and Datestones in Ramsbottom.

Michael McShea, chairman of Stacksteads Countryside Park Group, said: “Everybody knew JB and it was sad when he passed away.

“He collected artefacts from buildings and had a collection of bricks that were manufactured in Rossendale.

“He said he had more stuff to give us but sadly he never got the chance.

“But we spoke to his daughter and she was delighted to hear that we wanted to create a monument in his memory and said we could have the stones.”