LITTLEBOROUGH TURNPIKE TRUSTS & OTHER TOLL ROADS

Turnpikes 

Once Parliament had approved in principle the introduction of Turnpike Trusts then each new trust had to obtain an Act of Parliament to gain the necessary powers which enabled them to build and repair roads but importantly, collect tolls from users (usually those making longer distance journeys). Additional powers such as widening or straightening also required an additional Act. To enable Toll collection to be effective, Toll Houses and Bars (or Gates) were installed accompanied with ‘Toll Boards’ indicating the prices charged for passage.

 

Tolls generally reflected the impact of particular vehicles and the size of animals thus for the latter it was the number and sheep cost less than cows etc. For vehicles, the narrower the wheel, the higher the charge as indicated on the Toll Board now in the History Centre - see picture right. The collection of Tolls was often sublet to individuals etc, presumably the highest bidder.

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Inhabitants of parishes through which the turnpike Road passed still had to provide Statue Labour to help repair the road (and other roads) or pay a fee, a requirement not abolished until 1835. However, richer residents whose lands were adjacent to the Turnpike could vacate that requirement by pay cashing cash instead.

 

All Turnpikes were abolished by Act of Parliament in 1883.

 

Turnpike Toll Roads

Most of the main roads in use today were once Turnpike Toll Roads. Those in and around Littleborough and their dates were:

1. 1734 Blackstone Edge Turnpike – Old and New Roads covered between Smallbridge (later Rochdale) to Halifax;

2. 1759 Whitelees to Doghills (Dean Head) via Calderbrook;

3. 1777 (completed by 1786) Dean Head (Doghills) to Todmorden;

4. 1824 Steanor Bottom to Littleborough - Todmorden Road Turnpike;

 

Acknowledgement is given to Mr A Rosevear and his website for his assistance

 to “A Lancashire Lion” by James L Maxim; to West York's Archaeological Services, Report on the Blackstone Edge ‘Roman Road’, To Halifax Antiquarian Society – papers by J H Priestley 1952 & 1953 and to Pennine Turnpike by Gledhill 1952.

 

For a detailed history of the Turnpikes through Littleborough as well as other Toll Roads  see Industrial History No 7 price £4.00