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Turnpike trusts in Greater Manchester

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Turnpike trusts were bodies set up by Acts of Parliament in the United Kingdom during the 18th and 19th centuries. The trusts had powers to collect road tolls for the maintenance of principal highways. The length of turnpike roads within what is now Greater Manchester varied considerably, from the 0.5 miles (0.8 km) Little Lever Trust, to the 22 miles (35 km) Manchester to Saltersbrook Trust.

Turnpikes contributed significantly to England's economic development before and during the Industrial Revolution. Although the trusts were abolished in the late-19th century, the roads themselves broadly remain as modern routes, and some of the original toll houses and roadside milestones have survived.

The metropolitan county of Greater Manchester was created in 1974 and so the turnpike trusts predate its existence. Greater Manchester lies at the conjunction of the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire; many trusts operated roads which crossed those ancient county boundaries. The list below is divided according to historic county, with the first part of the name of each trust determining which table it appears in.

History

Further information: Turnpike trust

Method of construction and the design of the road surface varied. Before construction of its road, the Bury, Blackburn and Whalley Trust engaged "skilled persons" as temporary surveyors, to make a survey of the districts through which the road would pass. It then advertised for tenders for construction of varied parts of the roads, with contractors responsible for building their respective portions, under the supervision of permanent surveyors. The trust bought limestone for the road surface largely from limestone quarries in Clitheroe. In Manchester, Liverpool, and Wigan, due to heavy coal traffic it was necessary to lay pavements of large stones along the roads. Suitable material would, if not found in the vicinity, be imported from the coasts of Wales and Scotland. Normally the pavement ran down the middle of the road, with a gravelled way on either side. An exception was along Bury New Road (built in 1826), where the middle track was 4 yards (3.7 m) of gravel, with stone pavements 3 yards (2.7 m) outside it. Such pavements were expensive, and unpopular with travellers who regularly described their discomfort travelling upon them.

Toll rates varied across the region, but preferential rates were often available to local residents, and for particular kinds of local traffic. The 1819 act of Parliamentof the Crossford Bridge and Manchester Trust allowed it to charge half tolls on the inhabitants and occupiers of Trafford House, Old Trafford, and Stretford Moss. The Bolton and Westhoughton Trust allowed farmers from Rumworth and Westhoughton to use the roads free of charge, when taking horses and carts laden with produce from their own farms to Bolton Market. Carriage of coal was often charged at half the normal rate, and no tolls were payable by persons travelling on foot. Other road users who were entitled to free passage included posthorses, carriage of ordnance and military stores, and cattle going to pasture.

Turnpike roads had a huge impact on the nature of business transport around Manchester. Packhorses were superseded by waggons, and merchants would no longer accompany their caravans to markets and fairs, instead sending agents with samples, and despatching the goods at a later date. In 1804 it was said that Manchester employed more than 120 "land carriers".

The railway era spelt disaster for most turnpike trusts. Although some trusts in districts not served by railways managed to increase revenue, most did not. In 1829, the year before the Liverpool and Manchester Railway opened, the Warrington and Lower Irlam Trust had receipts of £1,680, but by 1834 this had fallen to £332. The Bolton and Blackburn Trust had an income of £3,998 in 1846, but in 1847 following the completion of a railway between the two towns this had fallen to £3,077, and in 1849 £1,185.

The end of the turnpike system created serious problems for the local parishes and highway district boards upon whom the burden of maintenance fell. The Local Government Act 1888 made the repair of all main roads the responsibility of the new county councils. Lancashire County Council determined that any road leading to a town with a population of 25,000 or more would become a main road, which included almost all of the old turnpike roads in the region.

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (January 2009)

Cheshire

Name Interest Income Length (1848) Main gates Side gates Act Year Date expired County Modern road(s)
Cranage Green to Altrincham 26 Geo. 2. c. 26 1753 1881 Cheshire
Stockport to Marple Bridge 10 miles (16 km) (1852) 5 1 (chain) 41 Geo. 3. (U.K.) c. xcviii 1801 Cheshire & Derbys A626
Washway (Crossford Bridge to Altringham) 3 miles, 4 furlongs, 164 yards (5.8 km) (1852)

Derbyshire

Name Interest Income Length (1848) Main gates Side gates Act Year Date expired County Modern road(s)
Glossop to Marple Bridge 43 Geo. 3. c. 18 1803 Derbys

Lancashire

Name Interest Income Length (1848) Main gates Side gates Act Year Date expired County Modern road(s)
Adlington and Westhoughton Trust £201, 14s, 10d Lancs A6
Ashton and Platt Bridge £175 13s 6d 3 miles 4 furlongs (5.6 km) 46 Geo. 3. c. 2 1806 Lancs A58
Ashton under Lyne to Saddleworth 7 Geo. 4. c. 21 1826 Lancs & Yorks
Barton Bridge and Moses Gate £933 13s 4d 13 miles 1 furlong 110 yards (21.2 km)
Barton Bridge and Stretford £300 19s 4 miles 3 furlongs 2 yards (7 km) 51 Geo. 3. c. 31 1811 Lancs Barton Road, Stretford (partial)
Bolton and Blackburn £1,267 6d 12 miles 5 furlongs 41 yards (20.4 km) A666
Bolton and Nightingale £1,755 10s 9d 19 miles (30.6 km) A673
A6099
B6226
Smithills Dean Road
Colliers Row Road
Scout Road
Bolton and St Helens 17 miles 2 furlongs 44 yards (27.8 km) 5 8 A6
A579
B5215
Bolton and Westhoughton 2 miles 7 furlongs (4.6 km) Bolton Road
A58
A676
Bolton to Haslingdon (dormant) 6 Geo. 4. c. 92 1825 Dormant Lancs
Bolton to Leigh 2 Geo. 3. c. 44 1762 Lancs
Burnley to Tottington 32 Geo. 3. c. 146 1795 Lancs
Bury to Little Bolton 5 miles 4 furlongs 176 yards (9 km) 3 4 1 & 2 Geo. 4. c. 90 1821 Lancs A58
Bury to Blackburn, Whalley etc. 33 miles 5 furlongs 9 yards (54.1 km)
Bury to Haslingden to Blackburn 29 Geo. 3. c. 107 1789 Lancs A56
Dryclough, Shaw, Rochdale 10 miles 7 furlongs 102 yards (17.6 km) 1805 Lancs A669
Eccles to Farnworth
Edenfield and Little Bolton 1797 B6213
Edenfield Chapel and Bury Bridge
Elton and Blackburn 12 miles 6 furlongs (20.5 km) B6214
Gilda Brook and Irlam 7 miles 7 furlongs 173 yards (12.8 km) B5320
Heath Charnock to Bolton 3 Geo. 3. c. 31 1763 Lancs
Heywood to Heaton 29 Geo. 3. c. 110 1789
Hulme and Eccles 3 miles 5 furlongs 214 yards (6 km) 46 Geo. 3. 22 March 1806 Lancs A56
Hulme and Stretford 5 miles 4 furlongs 183 yards (9 km) A56
Hulton 5 miles 20 yards (8.1 km)
Ince, Hindley and Westhoughton 6 miles (9.7 km) A577
A58
Irlams o' th' Height 3 miles 7 furlongs 87 yards (6.3 km) A666
Little Lever 4 furlongs (0.8 km) 1 5 Geo. 4. c. 143 1824 1849 (disturnpiked) A6053
Manchester and Ashton under Lyne 3 miles 7 furlongs (6.2 km) 6 Geo. 4. c. 51 1825 Lancs
Manchester and Bury A56
Manchester and Oldham and Austerlands 19 miles 1 furlong (30.8 km) 8 Geo. 2. c. 3 1735 1880 Lancs & Yorks
Manchester to Bolton
Manchester to Newton Chapel (dormant) 57 Geo. 3. c. 47 1817 Dormant Lancs
Manchester to Pilkington
Manchester to Rochdale, Bury and Radcliffe 5 miles 7 furlongs (9.5 km) 28 Geo. 2. c. 58 1755 1873-80 Lancs A665
Manchester to Saltersbrook 22 miles (35.4 km) 5 Geo. 2. c. 10 1732 1884 Lancs & Cheshire A635
Manchester, Denton, Stockport 58 Geo. 3. c. 6 1818 Lancs & Cheshire
Mather Fold and Hardmans, Moses Gate District 3 miles 2 furlongs (5.2 km)
Mather Fold and Hardmans, Ringley District 3 miles 6 furlongs (6 km) A667
Pendleton Trust Agecroft District £300 4 miles 187 yards (6.6 km) A6044
Moor Lane
Singleton Road
Pendleton Trust Irlam's-o'-th'-Heights District A666
Pendleton Trust Pendleton District 2 miles 2 furlongs (3.6 km) A6
Pendleton Trust Swinton District 5 miles 2 furlongs (8.5 km) A572
Prestwich and Bury 5 miles 3 furlongs (8.7 km) A667
A665
A56
Stand Lane
Radcliffe 6 miles 1 furlongs (9.9 km) A665
Rochdale and Burnley 18 miles 4 furlongs (29.8 km) 28 Geo. 2. c. 53 1755 1880 Lancs
Rochdale and Edenfield 7 miles (11.3 km) 34 Geo. 3. c. 124 1794 Lancs A680
Rochdale and Manchester, Manchester District A579
Rochdale and Manchester, Rochdale District A664
Rochdale, Bamford and Bury 7 miles 4 furlongs (12.1 km) 1797 1866 Lancs Norden Road
Bagslate Moor Road
Salford to Wigan 26 Geo. 2. c. 27 1753 Lancs
Sharples and Hoghton 10 miles 4 furlongs (16.9 km) (1848) 3 (1852) 41 Geo. 3. (U.K.). c. cxxiii A675
Standedge and Oldham 10 miles 7 furlongs (17.5 km)
Stretford to Manchester 24 Geo. 2. c. 13 1751 1872 Lancs
Sudden Bridge to Bury 4 miles 6 furlongs (7.6 km) 1797 Lancs A58
Swinton District 5 miles 2 furlongs (8.4 km) A572
Warrington and Lower Irlam 7 miles 5 furlongs (12.3 km) A57
Warrington and Wigan 11 miles 2 furlongs (18.1 km) 13 Geo. 1. c. 10 1727 Lancs
Radcliffe to Bolton & Bury 6 & 7 Will. 4. c. 10 1836 Lancs
Wigan and Preston, south of (River) Yarrow 12 miles 6 furlongs (20.5 km) 13 Geo. 1. c. 9 1727 1866-67 Lancs A49
Manchester and Buxton 11 Geo. 1. c. 13 1725 1860-75 earliest record 1759 Lancs & Derbys B5470
Stockport and Ashton 5 Geo. 3. c. 100 1765 Lancs & Cheshire
Stockport and Warrington 1 Geo. 4. c. 28 1820 Lancs & Cheshire A560
Stockport and Warrington (Edgley Branch)
Wilmslow 26 Geo. 2. c. 53 1753 1881 Lancs & Cheshire B5167
Worsley Trust A572
A5082

Yorkshire

Name Interest Income Length (1848) Main gates Side gates Act Year Date expired County Modern road(s)
Halifax to Littleborough 33 Geo. 2. c. 48 1760 Yorks & Lancs
Oldham and Ripponden 16 miles 7 furlongs (27.2 km) 35 Geo. 3. c. 137 1795 Yorks & Lancs
Rochdale to Halifax and Elland 8 Geo. 2. c. 7 1735 1872 Yorks
Saddleworth to Oldham 32 Geo. 3. c. 139 1792 Yorks & Lancs

References

Notes

  1. Tupling 1952, pp. 4–5.
  2. ^ Parliamentary Papers, Turnpike Trusts. Harvard University: HMSO. 1848. p. 9.
  3. Tupling 1952, p. 6.
  4. Tupling 1952, p. 8.
  5. Tupling 1952, pp. 8–9.
  6. Tupling 1952, p. 13.
  7. Tupling 1952, p. 15.
  8. Tupling 1952, p. 18.
  9. Tupling 1952, p. 23.
  10. "Listed Building Register B". www.salford.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
  11. ^ Albert 2007, p. 206.
  12. ^ Moffit 1963, p. 290.
  13. ^ Parliamentary Papers - No.1, Stockport and Marple Road. Harvard University: HMSO. 1852. p. 2.
  14. ^ Albert 2007, p. 218.
  15. Arnott, Sue (7 May 2008). "Order decision Ref: FPS/C4235/7/16" (PDF). The Planning Inspectorate. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  16. Although no map exists to demonstrate the location of this road, the previous reference provides a strong indication that it was this road
  17. Altringham is the old spelling of Altrincham
  18. Parliamentary Papers, Turnpike Trusts. HMSO. 1848.
  19. ^ "Abstract statements of income and expenditure of Turnpike Trusts in England and Wales, 1850". HMSO. 1852. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  20. ^ Lancashire & Furness (Map). Ordnance Survey. 1850. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  21. ^ Parliamentary Papers, Turnpike Trusts. Harvard University: Great Britain Parliament. 1848. p. 8.
  22. ^ Albert 2007, p. 219.
  23. ^ Lancashire & Furness (Map). Ordnance Survey. 1849. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  24. ^ Albert 2007, p. 222.
  25. ^ Lancashire & Furness (Map). Ordnance Survey. 1848. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  26. ^ check this ref!! Parliamentary Papers, section 16. Harvard University: HMSO. 1852. p. 76.
  27. ^ Tupling 1952, p. 4.
  28. ^ Albert 2007, p. 210.
  29. ^ Albert 2007, p. 217.
  30. ^ Parliamentary Papers, No. 25 - Bury and Bolton Road. Harvard University: HMSO. 1852. p. 86.
  31. ^ Albert 2007, p. 221.
  32. ^ Albert 2007, p. 216.
  33. ^ Lancashire & Furness (Map). Ordnance Survey. 1851. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  34. ^ Wadsworth 1918, p. 9.
  35. Francis, James (2007). Highways of Turton. Turton Local History Society. p. 42. ISBN 978-1-904974-30-7.
  36. ^ Albert 2007, p. 211.
  37. ^ Hulme and Eccles Turnpike Road. Manchester Central Library, Local Studies, f388.1 Ma21: Manchester Central Library Archives Department. 1970.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  38. ^ Parliamentary Papers - No. 43, Little Lever Road. Harvard University: HMSO. 1852. p. 164.
  39. ^ Albert 2007, p. 204.
  40. ^ Chaloner, Farnie & Henderson 1990, p. 174.
  41. ^ Albert 2007, p. 207.
  42. Cheetham Hill Trust
  43. Wadsworth 1918, p. 17.
  44. Parliamentary Papers. HMSO. 1852. p. 71.
  45. ^ Albert 2007, p. 205.
  46. ^ Albert 2007, p. 203.
  47. ^ Albert 2007, p. 223.
  48. ^ Thacker et al. 2005, pp. 73–83
  49. Cheshire (Map). Ordnance Survey. 1882. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  50. ^ Manchester and Wilmslow Turnpike Trust. Manchester Central Library, Local Studies, m124, f352.042 m103: The Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts. 1973.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  51. ^ Albert 2007, p. 209.

Bibliography

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