Truro Turnpike Trust (updated 24^th Sept 2013)

This was the first turnpike trust in Cornwall. It was created in 1754 as a town-centred trust to turnpike the four main highways radiating from Truro across the southern part of the peninsular and along the west bank of the River Fal. It later included some lesser roads into Truro, becoming the largest trust in the county.

J House of Commons - Reports

16 Jan 1754 Truro Roads

A petition of Justices, gentlemen, clergy and principal inhabitants of Truro, Penryn, Helstone, Lostwithiel, Gampound and St Michael, and the market towns of Falmouth, Redruth, St Austell and St Columb presented;

That four principal roads branch out from the Borough of Truro,

SW to Penryn, Falmouth and Helstone,

N to Shortlanesend

W to Redruth, and thence to Camborne Church town

E to Lostwithiel passing through Grampound

SE to St Columb passing through Newlyn and St Enoder

These roads have become ruinous and wheeled carriages pass in great danger

Need a bill to erect toll houses and levy tolls.

List of Acts

Truro	created	27 Geo2 c21	1754
Truro	Repair Steppings Bridge	13 Geo3 c112	1773
Truro		22 Geo3 c89	1782
Truro		42 Geo3 c4	1802
Truro		57 Geo3 c44	1817
Truro		9 Geo4 c3	1828
Truro		11&12 Vic c51	1848
Truro	incorporates Truro and Redruth	12&13 Vic c44	1849

Truro 1802

An Act for continuing the Term and altering and enlarging the Powers of Two Acts; the One, passed in the Thirteenth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, for more effectually amending several Roads leading from and near the Borough of Truro, in the County of Cornwall, and for building and keeping in Repair a Bridge over the River at a Place called the Steppings, in or near the said Borough; and the other, passed in the Twenty-second Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, for extending the Provisions of the said former Act to the several other Roads therein described. [24th February 1802.]

Truro 1817

An Act for enlarging the Term and Powers of several Acts of His present Majesty, for repairing certain Roads leading from Truro, and other Roads communicating therewith, in the County of Cornwall; and for building and keeping in Repair a Bridge over the River there. [16th June 1817.]

Truro 1828

An Act for making, repairing, and improving certain Roads leading to and from Truro in the County of Cornwall. [21st March 1828.]

Earlier Acts were for more effectually amending several Roads leading from the Borough of Truro in the County of Cornwall and for building and keeping' in repair a Bridge over the River at a Place called the Steppings and the Roads leading from Short Lane's End in the Parish of Kenwyn to Callestock Burrow, and from the Two Burrows in the said Parish to Perran Almshouse, and from the Three Burrows in the said Parish to Saint Agnes Almshouse, in the said County And whereas considerable Sums of Money have been borrowed for the Purposes of the said Acts on the Credit of the Tolls thereby granted, Part of which Money still remains due and unpaid :And whereas it would be of public Utility if either the Whole or a Part of a Dwelling House situate on the South Side of the Eastern End of Bodmin Street in the Town of Truro, and occupied by Thomas May, were taken down, and the Scite thereof added to the present Turnpike Road leading from Truro to and through Grampond; and if a new Piece of Road were made on the Line of the said present Road diverging from the Eastern End of Saint Austell Street in Truro aforesaid, and passing through the Parishes of Saint Clement and Saint Erme to rejoin the said present Road near Kiggon Bridge in the said Parish of Saint Erme ; and also if the Trustees having the Care of the said Roads were empowered to discharge themselves from the Care and Management of all or any Part of so much of the said present Road as will lie between the Commencement and Termination of the said intended new Piece of Road: And whereas the present Turnpike Road leading from Truro to the Borough of Mitchell (being a Part of the Road leading from Truro, through the Village of Penhale in the Parish of Saint Enoder, to Bodmin,) is in some Parts narrow, steep, and incommodious, and it would therefore and otherwise be of public Utility if a new Road we're made diverging from the said Road leading from Truro to and through Grampond at or near the Foot of Truck Hill in the Parish of Pro bits, and passing by the Northern Valley, through the several Parishes of Prolnis, Ladoc/c, and Saint Enoder, to join the said Road leading from Truro through Penhale to Bodmin at Penliale aforesaid: And whereas the present Turnpike Road leading from Truro to the Borough of Penryn is in some Parts very steep, circuitous, and incommodious, and it would be of great public Utility if certain new Pieces of Road were to be made on the Line thereof; that is to say, a new Piece of Road diverging from the last-mentioned Road near Plynt's Barn, and passing through the several Parishes of Kemoyn and Kea, to rejoin the same Road near Killiganoon in the Parish of Feock, about Two Miles and One thousand four hundred and thirty Yards from Truro ; another new Piece of Road diverging at Killiganoon aforesaid, about Three Miles and Five hundred and fifty Yards from Truro, and passing through the said Parish of Feock, and thence across the Railway and Carnon River and Carnon Old Stream Works, and thence to and along the North Side of Perron Creek to Perron Wharf in the Parish of Perran-Arwothal, to rejoin the same present Road near Rapson's Mill at Perran Wharf aforesaid; and another new Piece of Road diverging at Belle Vue, and passing through certain Fields lying Westward of the same present Road in the Parish of Saint Gluvias, and crossing the same present Road about Two hundred and thirty Yards below the Penryn Town Turn-pike Gate, and then passing through certain other Fields lying Eastward of the same present Road in the said Parish of Saint Gluvias and Borough of Penryn respectively, and over the Head of the Creek, there to join the Turnpike Road leading from Redruth to Penryn near the Bottom of New Street; or if (instead of the intended Line last mentioned) a new Piece of Road were made diverging at the said Turnpike Gate, and passing through certain Fields lying Eastward of the said present Road leading from Truro to Penryn, and situate respectively in the said Parish of Saint Gluvias and Borough of Penryn, and also over the Head of the Creek, to join the said Road leading from Redrutli to Penryn at the Point aforesaid ;and also if the said Trustees were empowered to discharge themselves from the Care and Management of all or any of such Parts of the said present Road from Truro to Penryn as will lie between the several Points at which the said several new Pieces of Road intended to be made on the Line of the same present Road will respectively commence and terminate : And whereas it would be of public Utility if so much of the present Highway or Road, leading from Perron Wharf aforesaid Westward to the said present Turnpike Road leading from Truro to Penryn, as will lie Westward of the said intended new Line of Road to Perron Wharf, were made Turnpike; and if a new Piece of Road were made branching out of the Turnpike Road last mentioned at the Point, at which the said Highway or Road joins the same present Turnpike Road, and passing through several Fields in the said Parish of Perron- Arwothal to join the present Turnpike Road leading from Truro, to and over Tretheage Bridge, at or near Pellean Bar or Gate in the said Parish of Pcrran-Arwothal ; and if the Trustees of the said Roads were empowered to discharge themselves from the Care and Management of all or any Part of so much of the said Road leading from Truro to and over Tretheage Bridge as will lie between the Commencement of the said intended new Piece of Road from Killiganoon to Perran Wharf and Pellean Bar or Gate aforesaid : And whereas the present Road leading from Truro to the Chapel Hill Turnpike Gate (being a Part of the Road leading from Truro to Redruth) is very steep and incommodious, and it would be of public Utility if a new Piece of Road were made diverging from the said present Road leading from Truro to Penryn at or about Sixty Yards beyond the Barrack Ground, and passing through certain Fields in or near a Westerly Direction, to join the said present Road leading from 'Truro to Redruth at Chapel Hill Gate aforesaid ; and if Parts of certain Houses situate in Kenwyn Street in Truro aforesaid, in the several Occupations of James Bastian, Samuel Trenerry, Esther Symons, William Rowe, Thomas Walley, John Knuckey, and Thomas Gilbert Hicks, were taken clown, and a new Piece of Road were made diverging from the said present Road leading from Truro to Redruth at or near the Entrance of Bosvigo Lane, and passing through certain Fields in a Westerly Direction, and joining the same present Road at Bosvigo Barn ; and in case the proposed Piece of Road last mentioned were made, then also if the said Trustees were empowered to discharge themselves from the Care and Management of so much of the last-mentioned present Road as will lie between the Commencement of the last-mentioned proposed new Piece of Road and Chapel Hill Gate aforesaid : And whereas it is expedient that a certain Highway, branching out of the said present Turnpike Road from Truro to Mitchell near Mitchell Hill Gate, to Morresk Mill in the Parish of Saint Clement, should be made Turnpike, and put under the Care of the said Trustees for the Space of Nine hundred Yards from the same Turnpike Road :

New Act defines

the present Turnpike Road leading from Truro aforesaid to Redruth aforesaid; and the Turnpike Road leading from the present Third Mile Stone on the last-mentioned Road to a Place called the Three Burrows, in the said Parish of Kenwyn, and from the Three Burrows aforesaid to Saint Agnes Almshouse; and also the present Turnpike Road leading from Truro aforesaid to Penryn aforesaid, and there falling into the Turnpike Road leading from Redruth to Penryn aforesaid; and also the present Turnpike Road branching out of the said Road from Truro to Penryn at Perran-Arwothal, and leading to and over Tretheage Bridge; and also the present Turnpike Road leading from Truro aforesaid to the Second Mile Stone near Short Lane's End in the said Parish of Kenwyn; and also the present Turnpike Road leading from Short Lane's End aforesaid to Callestock Burrow, on the Cross Road leading from a Place called Marasanvose to a Place called Zelah in the Parish of Saint Allen ; and also the present Turnpike Road leading from a House formerly belonging to Thomasine Williams, and now occupied by Diana Crisp Widow, situate at the Western End of New East Bridge Street aforesaid, formerly called Coinage Hull Street, in Truro aforesaid, over the New East Bridge, being the Bridge erected in pursuance of the said first-recited Act over the Steppings aforesaid, and from thence to the Borough of Mitchell; and also the present Turnpike Road branching out of the last-mentioned Road at the Eastern End of New East Bridge Street aforesaid to and through Grampond aforesaid; and also the present Turnpike Road branching out of the said Road to and through Grampond, and leading to Mopas ; and also the said Bridge.

Select Committee on State of Roads 1840

John Tippet of Truro (clerk to the trust) reported

There are 56 miles 1 furl of road thru 16 parishes – all repaired by the trustees

32 toll gates

The roads are stated to be in “good” condition – no part under indictment for want of repair.

List of Roads

Redruth Road; A390 from Truro, through Chasewater to Redruth (about 9 miles)

St Agnes Road; From 3^rd milestone on Redruth Road as the B3277 to Three Burrows, across the A30 (not turnpiked here) to St Agnes Almshouses (about 5 miles)

Perran Alms Houses Road (*); from Two Burrows to Perran Alms Houses (Tresawsen) as the A30 over the open Heath (about 3 miles)

Penryn Road; A39 from Truro through Devoran to jct with A393 near Burnthouse (St Gluvias) (about 7 miles)

Shortlanesend Road; B3284 from Truro to Shortlanesend (about 2 miles)

Zelah Road; UC road from Shortlanesend to Zelah on the A30 (not turnpiked here) (about 2.5 miles)

Mitchell Road; From New East Bridge Street, Truro as UC road and then A39 (was A3076) to Carland Cross in Mitchell to join A30 (Wadebridge turnpike Road) (about 6 miles)

Grampound Road; From New East Bridge Street, Truro as B3284 eastwards and then A39o through Pobus (now by-passed) to Grampound (about 7 miles)

Malpas Road; UC road south from Truro to Malpas (about 2 miles)

Penhale Road;(*) B3275 (was A39) from Probus through Ladock to meet A30 (Bodmin turnpike road) at Penhale (about 7 miles)

Those marked (*) are not specified in later Acts

Also King Harry Passage Road, B3289 has Truro style milestones for 3 miles but not mentioned in Acts

And Perranporth Road B3284 has Truro style milestones for 7 miles after Shortlaneend but not mentioned in Acts

And St Stithians Road UC has Truro style milestones for 3 miles but not mentioned in Acts

Click here for a map of Cornwall Turnpike Roads

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Return to Turnpikes in Cornwall general page

Known Tollhouses (extracts from Tollhouse National database) 24 known sites of the 32 reported by Trust (survivors in bold)

Road Classification Number

Route

GATE NAME

OS Grid Ref- Prefi

Easting

Northing

District

Civil Parish

Location (Name or Number)

Road or Street (see across)

Position

Evidence

Revised 24th Sept 2013

erected by (Turnpike Trust or Authority)

Bibliographic refs

A39

Truro to Penryn

Devoran

SW

79326

39557

CWCA

FEOCK

The Old Tollhouse, No. 42

Devoran Lane, Devoran

up hill from Carnon bridge

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p43

A39

Truro to Penryn

Carnon Bridge (Devoran)

SW

791

394

CWCA

FEOCK

Devoran

close to crossing of Carnon river

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p42

A39

Truro to Penryn

Carnon (Playing Place)

SW

81003

41432

CWCA

KEA

Skewberries Farmhouse

Playing Place

on old road, bypassed by new roundabout

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p44

B3284

Truro to Perranporth

Shortlanesend

SW

808

477

CWCA

KENWYN

Shortlanesend

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p43

A39

Truro to Penryn

Water (Penryn Town)

SW

780

349

CWCA

PENRYN

The Praze

OS 1st Series; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p41

A39

Truro to Penryn

Stickenbridge

SW

78116

39783

CWCA

PERRANARWORTHAL

Toll House (now a garage)

Stickenbridge

; ; ;

Truro

-

UC road

Perranwell to Truro Road

Perranwell

SW

78130

39783

CWCA

PERRANARWORTHAL

Tarrandean Lane

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p41

A30

Mitchell to Redruth

Perran Almshouses

SW

789

494

CWCA

PERRANARWORTHAL

Perran Almshouses

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p46

B3277

St Agnes to Truro

St Agnes

SW

711

515

CWCA

ST AGNES

The Toll House

West Polberro, Porthtowan

; ; ;

Truro

-

A39 (A3076)

Truro to Mitchell

Bodrean

SW

8389

4822

CWCA

ST CLEMENT

The Toll House

Bodrean

replaced Buckshead

OS 1st Series; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p46

A390

Truro to St Austell

Tresillian

SW

8681

4650

CWCA

ST CLEMENT

The Toll House

Main Road, Tresillian

by bridge over Tresillian River

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p49

UC road (was A390)

Truro to Redruth

Chacewater

SW

75108

44313

CWCA

ST DAY

Toll Cottage

Church Hill, Chacewater

; ; ;

Truro

-

UC road (was A3076)

Truro to Mitchell

Trenerry (Mitchell)

SW

83160

45720

CWCA

TRURO

Trenerry Toll House

Bodmin Road, Truro

at jct with Moresk Road (Mitchell Road)

OS 1st Series; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p47

UC road (was A39)

Truro to Falmouth

Calenick

SW

8211

4312

CWCA

TRURO

Bridge House

Old Falmouth Road, Calenick

on north side of narrow bridge

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p45

A39

Truro to Mitchell

St Clements

SW

8384

4575

CWCA

TRURO

opp. Old Isolation Hospital

at jct with A3076

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p48

A39 (A3076)

Truro to Mitchell

Buckshead

SW

834

463

CWCA

TRURO

Buckshead

replaced by Bodrean

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p47

A39

Truro to Penryn

Pelynt Barn (Tolgarrick)

SW

821

439

CWCA

TRURO

Pelynt Barn

Arch Hill, Truro where the ‘Old Coach Road’ from Playing Place joined the newer road. The toll house has been demolished to accommodate road improvements

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p44

A390

Truro to St Austell

St Austell Street (1)

SW

8292

4488

CWCA

TRURO

nr the Roundhouse, 37, St. Austell Street

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p45

UC road

Truro to Redruth

Chapel Hill (Bosvigo)

SW

820

447

CWCA

TRURO

Truro to Redruth road

; ; ;

Truro

B3284

Truro to Perranporth

Kenwyn

SW

8221

4525

CWCA

TRURO

Kenwyn

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p42

St Austell Street (2)

SW

8298

4486

CWCA

TRURO

St Austell Street

; ; ;

Truro

-

UC road (was A39)

Truro to Penryn

St Gluvias

SW

77035

36808

CWKE

ST GLUVIAS

Turnpike Cottage

The Barns, Lower Treluswell

in loop off road, 2 miles from Penryn

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p40

A390

St Austell to Lostwithiel

Grampound

SW

9326

4846

CWRE

GRAMPOUND WITH CREED

Toll House

Fore Street, Grampound

by bridge over River Fal

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p50

A3058

Truro to St Enoder

St Enoder

SW

90446

54279

CWRE

ST ENODER

Toll Gate Cottage

St Austell Road, Brighton, Grampound Road

beside Brighton Cross Nursery

; ; ;

Truro

Taylor P. (2001), "The Toll-houses of Cornwall", p49

Known Milestones

In the Milestone Society Database, 68 are identified on A39, A30, A390 B3284, and UC roads, –. (based on Trust mileage, expect 56 i.e. some side roads may have been included)