Next page                  

 

General History of Blackstone Edge Turnpike

The Rochdale to Elland Turnpike was established in 1734 being powered to improve the existing road between Rochdale and Elland (and later Halifax) via Littleborough. It is possible that the trust created or significantly improved the road over Blackstone Edge (see  Roman Road), The first tolls were collected in 1734. A further Act in 1754 gave powers to widen the road but the trust was still criticised. For the roads poor state of repair. Further Acts were obtained which did lead to improvements especially in reducing the heavy gradients. The Trust was finally dissolved in 1872.

 

Hurstead to Whitelees Road

The main A58 road through Littleborough follows the Blackstone Edge Turnpike in its final form before abolition albeit with some minor changes, junction improvements etc. However, the first turnpike largely followed earlier tracks and Pack Horse Ways. The initial route from Greengate to Whitelees Road followed a slightly more southerly route much of which still exists, eg the ‘Old Road in Wuerdle (see sketch map top right). Toll Gates were located along the route with the present names of Greengate and Whitegate suggesting their location although this supposition has not been proven.

During the 1770s ands 1780s, the Trust were determined to undertake improvements between Hurstead and Littleborough which led to the construction  of the New Road in Dearnley (pictured right).  A new Stubley Ticket Gate was built adjacent to Watling St and New St. The new (2021) housing estate just east of New St had eradicated any trace of the old road at this point. The location of the Whitelees Gate is unclear. But was so located that users of the new (later) Whitelees to Doghills Turnpike Road did not pass through it

 

Littleborough Centre

Improvements  between 1780 and 1820 which led to the construction of Church St between Morgan St and Hare Hill Road thus avoiding the route over James Hill which passed between the Royal Oak and the Wheatsheaf. The current Holy Trinity Parish Church was built between 1815 – 1820, some 15 yards (15 metres) north of the 1471 church suggesting the Turnpike passed to its south but it is known that the Turnpike passed to the north of the Falcon

 

Littleborough to The Rake Inn

The turnpike passed by Ealees Hall (occupied since 1561) as well as Windy Bank, Bent House etc whose residents had connections and no doubt had a connecting road or track. With the building of the railway viaduct during 1837/8 the road layout next the River Roch bridge was changed and numerous properties incl Ealees Hall were demolished.

 

Blackstone Edge Old Road

References to the way over the Edge have been recorded from as far back as the Doomsday book in 1070. However, traffic over the Edge increased with Trains of Packhorses carrying goods of £1,000  in the late 17th Century. Pre turnpiking, Daniel Defoe crossed in a storm during 1724. The increased use of wheeled carts and waggons created pressure for a more easily graded route and in the 1760’s the existing route of Blackstone Edge Old Road was created.

Rough Farmhouse, (painted white in the photograph right) was where the tolls were collected. Drovers watered their animals in the clough below the bridge. The location  of the toll building suggests that the first toll road followed the Packhorse Road which runs in front of the cottages (and earlier mill) at High Peak.

The route used over Blackstone Edge by the first turnpike remains uncertain. It is suggested that the so called Roman Road was in fact the work of the Blackstone Edge Turnpike Trust as the original Packhorse Way remains in situ (and un-widened) to the west of the wide stone pavement. Both meet just below the ‘Aiggin Stone’, a way marker cross next to Blackstone Edge Summit.

 

Around 1760 an easier route over Blackstone Edge was constructed which went from Rough Farm to where Stormer Bar was later built in built 1838) via Oil Mill Bridge (in the above picture). After Stormer Bar (it ran at a lower level before climbing more steeply to the Coach & Horses Once (now the White house)

 

Blackstone Edge New Road

The growth in coach travel led to further improvements with the current Halifax Road completed in 1820/1. This complemented the recently completed new road between Stormer Bar and the Coach and Horses (or White House as it was  increasingly called). In 1825 the whole length of the ‘new’ road from the Rake to The Coach & Horses was complete to the satisfaction of the Inspector General of Mails (for the use by Mail Coaches). Some 6 coaches operated daily between Rochdale and Halifax – Shuffle, Perseverance, High Flier, Defiance, Duke of Leeds and Commerce.

 

Stormer Hill Bar, formerly Toll Bar Cottage  (or Bar House) was originally constructed in 1838  with a porch provided in 1911. The Toll House was constructed where the two Toll Roads crossed as is clearly shown in the photograph (pictured above right). The A58 passes alongside the Bar House with the ‘Old’ road crossing south to north on the west side of the building. Stormer Bar had a weighing machine. Both Turnpike routes combine on the approach to the White House just prior where the walkers are seen approaching the pub which remains to this day, a building whose roots go back to the 17th Century.

 

Coaches ceased to operation over The Blackstone Edge Turnpike in 1843 following the opening of the Manchester & Leeds Railway through Summit Tunnel

 

Whilst the A58 remains an important road the M62 a mile or so east now carries much of the Cross-Pennine traffic

 

NEXT PAGE

Whitelees to Doghills

The Turnpike Trust of 1759 was empowered to link the Rochdale to Halifax with the Reddyshore Scoutgate Packhorse Road at Doghills (now known as Dean Head) and included taking over an existing track from Townhouse. The Reddyshore Packhorse Road climbed up and over the hillside to avoid the Summit Gap. The road was certainly in operation in 1786 but it was probably in use much earlier and went via Higher Calderbrook. During the 1790s, a committee was formed to seek improvements which resulted in the current road via Smithy Nook and Salley St being finished in 1799. The Todmorden Act of 1800 restricted the placing of toll bars which meant that there would be a gate at Doghills but this reference may well refers to a small relocation of the toll bar following the opening of the 1799 changes.  The power of the Trust appeared to have lapsed after the Steanor Bottom to Littleborough Turnpike Toll Road was finished. See sketch map opposite.

 

Features along the Turnpike

It has been suggested that there was a toll bar at The Dog and Partridge (which became the Caldermoor Pub and is now a hairdressers etc). This would be logical as Shore Road in those days led to Wardle and Whitworth but other documentary evidence suggests none was permitted. Beyond the junction, Calderbrook Road continues to the bottom of Clough Road where it commences the steep climb to Calderbrook passing the cottages of Lower and Middle Newgate and once over the top, Handle Hall. The hall was built in 1610 and was originally called named ‘Warcock Hill’ but became the Queen Ann Inn with an early reference being in 1818 when Thomas Bamford was the licensee. It ceased being an inn during the 1930s and reverted to being Handle Hall. From Handle Hall the original route went up via Higher Calderbrook  but a later easier route was constructed via an area called ‘Lighthouse’. When St James Church and Cemetery were built, the old route was adjusted at the junction with the new alignment. The 1800 Turnpike Act mentions ‘A certain dwelling house now used as a public house at Doghills’. In 1818 the landlord was James Lord, Victualler and Butcher. This pub known as the Bull and Butchers was later pulled down and the materials used to construct the Summit Inn (see later)

 

Detailed plan of route between Doghills and Steanor Bottom. Also shows the earlier route via the Reddyshore Scout Gate from Doghills,

 

Also the route of the later Todmorden Road Turnpike via Summit and Gale to to Littleborough

 

NEXT PAGE

Doghill to Steanor Bottom Turnpike

The Turnpike Trust of 1777 was empowered to construct or improve roads from Doghill (Dean Head) to Todmorden and whilst the completion date is unclear, the road was completed by 1786. The suggested opening date of 1785 may just refer to the section between Doghills and Steanor Bottom.

There was a pub halfway down the road (on the left) but it moved to just beyond Warland Gate End.

The road was controversially abandoned as a through route  many years ago being retained only as a footway.

 

Link to next page Todmorden Road Turnpike         

 

Todmorden Road Turnpike - Steanor Bottom to Littleborough Centre

The development of a Turnpike Road from Halifax to Todmorden and Burnley and Littleborough was authorised to be formed and constructed in 1759 or 1760 under An Act for diverting, altering, widening, repairing and amending the Roads from the Town of Halifax, and from Sowerby Bridge, in the County of York, by Todmorden, to Burnley and Littleborough, in the County of Lancashire. Work didn’t commence immediately and it was not until 1777 that the Trustees instructed their surveyor to mark out the road intended to be made between Todmorden and Dean Head. In 1821 the Trustees assembled at Hebden Bridge to proceed with lengthening the toll road from Walsden to Littleborough along the valley bottom. Whilst progress in Littleborough was slow, work proceeded to improve the road as far as Steanor Bottom where it connected with the extended Whitelees to Doghills Road in and around 1786. Work on the Turnpike Road may have been affected by the construction of the Rochdale Canal which was opened to Todmorden from Sowerby Bridge in August 1798 and to Rochdale in December 1798. The construction of the canal helped drain Gale Flats, a notoriously wet location. At a meeting on 26th July 1821 held in Hebden Bridge the trust decided to proceed with the building of the new road to Littleborough and to borrow £4,000. At a further meeting held on 23rd February 1823 the Trustees accepted the plans and valuations for the new road and construction progressed during 1823 and 1824 (being undertaken in 8 lots) such that the new road was open throughout to Littleborough on 28th July 1824 - (see picture right). Toll houses were provided at Steanor Bottom and 105 yards north of the junction with the Blackstone Edge Turnpike which was adjacent to the Holy Trinity Church. Todmorden Road as the route of this Turnpike is now known, ceased to be a toll road around 1877 -79.

 

Features on the Steanor Bottom to Littleborough Turnpike

 

One of the most prominent features on the road is the Steanor Bottom Toll House (pictured below right) located at the bottom of the road down from Doghills. The distinctive two storey toll house was built in 1824 and was in use for some 50 years and when no longer required as a toll-house, it was occupied for some time before becoming derelict. In 1972, it was badly damaged by a storm which dislodged the roof and part of the structure

 

 

(Right) Todmorden Turnpike looking east just prior to Steanor Bottom - pictured below

 

Following an appeal the restored toll house and extension was completed in 1980. When in use, the building displayed a list of tolls which the Trust was authorised to collect. One of the Toll Boards is now in the History Society’s collection. Beyond Dean Head on the new road is the Summit Inn referred to earlier, was licensed from 1823 with James Lord, Victualler and Butcher being the landlord.

 

Around Gale, Lawrence Newall purchased land at Gale upon which he built Gale House plus Gale Mill and the Gale Public House as well as some adjacent housing. The Gale Inn was let to Robert Hall, the first licensee, in 1828. Robert and his wife had previously been servants to the Newall family. Robert's children ran the pub until 1851. It continued serving the local community for nearly 150 years before finally closing in 1998. Gale Mill was a Calico print works subsequently owned by Joseph Bottomley and later Frederick Scott, Printers. Like many mills in Littleborough, it was destroyed by fire but was rebuilt becoming a modern looking factory. Fothergill and Harveys purchased the mill in 1950 but it was later used by Walsden Printing. Following closure it was replaced by new apartment blocks built in the style of a Malt House or canalside warehouse.

 

Toll House

The Southerly Toll House was located opposite Victoria Street, 105 yds or more from the junction with the Blackstone Edge Toll Road. It was pulled down in 1877/78 by William Greenwood of Ebor Iron Works, to be replaced by two shops one side of which went down River Street. The toll house resembled that at Steanor Bottom and the last toll keeper and bill poster was Mr Dixon.

The building located adjacent to the traffic lights near the viaduct and erroneously referred to as the old Toll House (including Grade 2 listing) was built by a local architect called Mr Shuttleworth as an office for his business. He built it in the style of a toll house late 1860s early 1870s.. Mr Shuttleworth was for a time Secretary to the Littleborough Local Board..

 

Toll Roads

 

OTHER TOLL ROADS AROUND HOLLINGWORTH, THE LAKE AND LITTLEBOROUGH

 

 

                                                                                        

 

 

        Next page                               TOP                               

.