Great Torrington Turnpike Road                                                   (updated 24th Sept 2013)

This trust was created in 1765 as a town-centred Trust covering roads radiating from Great Torrington on both banks of the Torridge. Its primary responsibilities were; (a) the new Exeter and old Hatherleigh Roads into the Torridge Valley from the south (b) a variety of branch roads radiating into Great Torrington from small communities in mid-North Devon.

J House of Commons - Reports

Volume 30

17 Jan 1765 Great Torrington

Pet of Mayor, aldermen, principal burgesses of Great Torrington and principal inhabitants residing near

The Road from Great Torrington thru Great Torrington and Frithelstock to Husk Hill

and from Great Torrington thru Great Torrington and Frithelstock to Tallamy’s Water

And from Great Torrington thru Great Torrington and Frithelstock and Monkseigh or Monkleigh Town

And from Great Torrington thru Great Torrington, St Giles and Beaford to Beaford Town

And Great Torrington thru St Giles and Rodborough to Rodborough Town

And Great Torrington over Crawford Moor thru Great Torrington, St Giles, Yarnscombe and Atherington to River Taw in Another at Umberleigh Ford and at Umberligh bridge

And from Gammerton moor in Parish of Bideford, through Biddlerd, Huntshaw, Yarnscombe, St Giles, High Bickington, and Burrington, to Wick Cross Burrington

are ruinous, and in parts narrow and incommodious

 

21 Jan 1765; Mr Walter reported

 

List of Acts

Great Torrington

 

5 Geo3 c58

1765

 

Great Torrington

 

26 Geo3 c128

1786

 

Great Torrington

 

47 Geo3 c97

1807

 

Great Torrington

 

5 Geo4 c81

1824

 

Great Torrington

 

9 Geo4 c35

1828

 

Great Torrington

 

11 Geo4 c2

1830

 

Great Torrington

Extended under continuation Act to Nov 1865

 

 

 

Great Torrington

Abandoned some roads (34 miles) consider merger with Barnstaple

28&29 Vic c80

1865

 

 

 

Great Torrington 1807

An Act for continuing the Term and altering and enlarging the Powers of Two Acts of the Fifth and Twenty-sixth Years of His present Majesty, for repairing several Roads in and near Great Torrington, in the County of Devon. [8th August 1807.]

 

Great Torrington 1824

An Act for more effectually improving and keeping in Repair the several Roads in and near Great Torrington; and to make a new Line of Road on the Western Side of the River Torridge, in the County of Devon. [28th May 1824.]

the said Turnpike Roads shall extend, and be deemed and taken to extend, from the South End of School Lane in Great Torrington through New Street to Rothern Bridge aforesaid, and from thence to Husk Hill in Frithelstock ; and also from the said Rothern Bridge through the Warbys in the Parish of Frithelstock, and through Monkleigh Wood in the Parish of Monkleigh to Pit Wood in the said Parish ; and also from the said Rothern Bridge through the said Parish of Frithelstock to Tallamy's Water in the said Parish ; and also from the said South End of School Lane in Great Torrington aforesaid through Calve Street, and from thence through the Parishes of Great Torrington, Saint Giles, and Beaford to Bedford Town ; and also from the East End of Calve Street aforesaid through the Parishes of Great Torrington, Saint Giles, and Roborough to Roborougb Town ; and also from the East End of Calve Street aforesaid over Cranford Moor through the Parishes of Great Torrington, Saint Giles, Yarnscombe, and Atherington, to the River Taw in Atherington at Umberly Bridge ; and also from Gammaton Moor in the Parish of Bideford through the Parishes of Bideford, Hunts haw, Yarnscombe, Saint Giles, High Bickington, and Burrington to Wick Cross in Burrington ; and also from High Bullen to Bellview in the said Parish of Saint Giles ; and from Bellview aforesaid to Huntsbaw Turnpike Gate in the Parish of Hunstbaw aforesaid, all in the County of Devon.

 

Great Torrington 1828

An Act for more effectually improving and keeping in repair the Roads leading to and from the Town of Great Torrington in the County of Devon, and for making certain new Lines of Road to communicate with the same. [9th May 1828.]

by a Resolution to be entered into at any of their Meetings' of which at least Fourteen Days Notice should be given, to abandon and discharge themselves from the future Repairs of such Part of the said roads as lead from a place called The Bartridges to the said Village of Hatherleigh; and from and after the Day or time fixed by such resolution for the Abandonment of such Portion of the Road, the same should no longer be repaired, maintained, or .supported by the Trustees of the Barnstaple Turnpike Roads: And whereas the said Portion of Road is situate much nearer the Town of Great Torrington than Barnstaple, it hath therefore been agreed by and between the Trustees of the said respective Roads, that it would be expedient for the Interest of the Public, and for the Benefit and Convenience of both the said Trusts, that so much of the said Road as leads from the said Place called The Bartridges to the said Town or Village of Hatherleigh, with the Toll Houses and Gates thereon, should be placed under the Care and Management of the Trustees for putting this Act into Execution, and be repaired, amended, and kept by them by and out of the Revenues of their Trust, and be diverted and turned so as to render it more commodious for the Public:

 

for the Purpose of making, amending, diverting, varying, altering, widening, improving, and maintaining in repair the several Roads herein-after mentioned ; (that is to say,) from the South End of School Lane in Great Torrington, through New Street, over the Common, to Town Bridge, and from the End of New Street aforesaid to Rothern Bridge, and from thence to Husk Hill in Frithelstock; and also from the said Rothern Bridge, through the Warbys, in the Parish of Frithelstock, and through Monkleigh Wood, in the Parish of Monkleigh, to Pit Wood in the said Parish ; and also from Plumper's Water to Monkleigh Town in the said Parish of Monkleigh; and also from the said Rothern Bridge, through the said Parish of Frithelstock, to Tallyman's Water in the said Parish ; and also from the said South End of School Lane in Great Torrington aforesaid, through New Street, Potacre Street, Well Street, and Calve Street, and from thence through the Parishes of Great Torrington, Saint Giles, and Beaford, to Beaford Town; and also from the East End of Calve Street aforesaid, through the Parishes of Great Torrington, Saint Giles, and Roborough, to Roborough Town ; and also from the East End of Calve Street aforesaid, over Cranford Moor, through the Parishes of Great Torrington, Saint Giles, Yarnscombe, and Atherington, to the River Taw in Atherington, at Umberley Bridge ; and also from Gammaton Moor in the Parish of Bideford, through the Parishes of Bideford, Hunshaw, Yarnscombe, Saint Giles, High Bickington, and Burrington, to Wick Cross in Burrington; and also from High Bullen to Bellview in the said Parish of Saint Giles; and from Bellview aforesaid to Hunshaw Turnpike Gate, in the Parish of Hunshaw aforesaid; and also from the Town of Great Torrington aforesaid to a Place called Addlehole in the Parish of Down Saint Mary, through the several Parishes of Great Torrington, Saint Giles in the Wood, Beaford, Dolton, Winkleigh, Brushford, Coleridge, Zeal Monachorum, Lapford, and Down Saint Mary ; and from the Town of Great Torrington aforesaid, to Hatherleigh and Langtree, through the several Parishes of Great Torrington, Little Torrington, Peter's Marland, Petrockstow, Meeth., Hatherleigh, Frithelstock, and Langtree ; all in the County of Devon.

 

Great Torrington 1830

An Act to enlarge the Term and Powers of an Act for more effectually improving the Roads to and from the Town of Great Torrington in the County of Devon. [19th March 1830.]

And whereas the whole of the last-mentioned Line of Road, together with the new Cuts and Deviations from the same, has been formed and made, except so much thereof as is or is supposed to be situate in   the Parish of Ringsash otherwise Ashreigney ; and by reason of the Omission of that Parish in the said   recited Act the said Trustees are not empowered to adopt or to form any Line of Road therein, or to collect Tolls thereon, and His Majesty's liege Subjects are unable to pass and repass over the same, to their great Inconvenience ; and the Intercourse between Exeter and Great Torrington by the  said  last-mentioned Line is wholly suspended :   And whereas since the passing of the said recited Act it has been discovered that the mountainous Hills between Great Torrington and Little Torrington, on the great Turnpike Head leading from llfracombe to Plymouth, can be avoided, by making and maintaining a Deviation of the same from Middle Broadpark through Mutton Lane into the said Turnpike Road at the End of the said Lane, and through Cock's Shilley to the River Torridge, all in the said Parish of Little Torrington, across the said River into the first-mentioned Turnpike Road from Great Torrington to Addlehole in the Parish of Great Torrington or Saint Giles in the Wood at or near the new Mills in the said Parish of Great Torrington, which will be of great public Utility, but the same cannot be done without the Aid of Parliament;

 

Select Committee on State of Roads 1840

John Staley of Great Torrington (clerk to the trust) reported

There are 61 miles 2 furl 15pl of road thru 23 parishes – 38 miles 6furl are repaired by the trustees; the remaining roads are repaired by the parishes but the trustees pay one half of this.

11 toll gates and 10 side gates

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

 

Report to Secretary of State 1865

BPP Vol29 (1865) No. 5.—GREAT TORRINGTON ROADS.

The Local Act for these roads, of the 11th of George 1V. cap. 2., continued, with certain alterations, the previous Act of the 9th of George IV. cap. 35., but granted a new term, which would have expired with the session of 1862, had it not been extended by the Turnpike Acts Continuance Acts, by the last of which it is now continued until the 1st day of November 1865.

 

The length of road at present belonging to the trust is 70 miles 2 furlongs 38& yards, and is thus described : —

Miles.   Furl.   Yards.

1. The New Exeter road -                   20       0        0

2. The Bideford road                          2       6     38

3. The Frithelstock road   -                  1        7        0

4. The Buckland Brewer road                         250

5. The Monkleigh road     -     -           1        0        0

6. The Mill Street common road -       0        3    143

7- Streets in the town of Great Torrington 1        5      82

8. The Barnstaple road                        4        7    104

9- The Hatherleigh road -                    10       4      0

10. The Little Torrington new road-   1        3    132

11. The Langtree road       -                0 •     5      60

12. The Southmolton road -                7       G     27

13. The Roborough road    -                440

14. The Old Exeter road                     8       6    110

15. The Belle Vue road      -                1        2       0

 

From this statement it appears that 1 mile 5 furlongs 82 yards consists of streets in Great Torrington, a town the population of which exceeds 3,300, and having a considerable trade in the manufacture of gloves; there are 14 toll-gates, but four tolls only are payable, and a second toll is not taken within four miles; the full rates allowed by the Local Act are levied -, there are no weighing machines in use on the road.

 

The original debt on this Trust, as entered in the accounts for 1838, was Ł11,336. 10s, which appeared to have been borrowed at various periods from 1765 to 1786, and in 1827; in 1840 it was discovered that this amount had been wrongly stated, and should have been Ł11,136. 10s., which sum was increased in 1840 by Ł2,475 being advanced for the purpose of making the Little Torrington road, and in 1843 a further sum of Ł1,000 was borrowed for building a bridge over the River Torridge; these sums have been reduced by various payments to Ł10,026 10s, but no part has been paid off since 1848, and this amount remains due in 76 sums, many of which are small, 22 being for Ł25 each, and 20 for Ł50. each, but the usual schedule of debts has been omitted in the Bill; Ł4,325 bears interest at Ł4. and Ł5,70l 10s. at Ł4 10s. per cent.; the arrears, at the end of 1863, appear to have been Ł509 8s 3d.

 

The accounts show that the toll receipts became reduced in 1849 and following years, -which has been attributed to the following causes :—the great depression of the agricultural interest, causing a decrease in the quantity of lime carried over the road; the introduction of artificial manures, which are exempt from toll; the extension of the railway system into the district, and the consequent discontinuance of the stage coaches. A sum of Ł5 appears as parish aid in the accounts for 1846, which amount was received from the surveyor of highways of Burrington towards the repair of the roads at Week Cross in that parish; Ł3,475 was borrowed in the years 1840 and 1843 under the circumstances alluded to above, and Ł950 was received from the late Lord Rolle in 1842, and Ł1,050 in 1843, as donations towards building the bridge over the River Torridge. The funds of the Trust have been expended in repairing the roads (at reduced cost in late years) ;—salaries (treasurer, Ł30 up to 1850 ; clerk Ł30; surveyor, increased to Ł65 since 1855) •,—interest of debt;—improvements ;—-portions of the principal;—and incidentals;

 

List of Roads

New Exeter Road (No. 1); A386 through New Street, Well Street, and Calve Street in Great Torrington, down to the river Torridge and then branch east on A3124 to Beaford (built in 1835) and on to Winkleigh, then branching east as the B3220, over Taw Bridge, to Morchard Road (Addlehole in Down Saint Mary) where it meets the A377, the Exeter Turnpike Road (about 20 miles) ;

Bideford Road (No. 2); UC from Torrington Common to Gammaton Cross (about 3 miles – Think this road was taken over from Barnstaple trust in 1828)

Frithelstock Road (No.3); A386 from the End of New Street to Rothern Bridge, and from thence on UC road to Husk Hill on A388 ( Frithelstock Stone) (about 2 miles);

UC road from Rothern Bridge, through the Warbys, in the Parish of Frithelstock ? (about a mile)

UC road from Rothern Bridge, to Tallyman's Water in Frithelstock? (about a mile - Taddiport Road?)

Buckland Brewer Road (No. 4); UC road from Monkleigh to Buckland Brewer (about 3 miles)

Monkleigh Road (No. 5);  UC road from Monkleigh to bottom of Rakeham Hill (Pit Wood) near Rothern Bridge; and UC fork road from Plumper's Water to Monkleigh; (about 1 mile)

Mill Street Common Road (No. 6 ); Mill Street down to Taddiport Bridge (about half a mile)

Torrington town Road (No. 7); UC road from School Lane in Great Torrington, through New Street, over the Common, to Town Bridge and others in town (about 0.5 miles plus 0.5 miles),

Barnstaple Road (No. 8); UC to Huntshaw, over Huntshaw Moor Cross to Bartridges in Alverdiscott (about 5 miles – this and its extension to Hatherleigh were taken over from Barnstaple trust in 1828 Act)

Hatherleigh Road (No. 9) UC from Taddiport Bridge to Little Torrington to join the A386 southwards, then branching west on UC road through Winswell and Petrockstow rejoining the A386 at Meeth and continuing to Hatherleigh (about 10.5 miles – This road  was taken over from Barnstaple trust in 1828 Act) (current A386 through Merton Huish was built much later),

Little Torrington New Road (No. 10); A386 leaving Great Torrington as New Road, then over New Bridge (built in 1843 – preliminary Act 1830) to Little Torrington (about 1 mile)

Langtree Road (No. 11) The B3227 from Taddiport Bridge to Langtree (and Stibb Cross?) (about 4 miles);

South Molton (Umberleigh Bridge) Road (No. 12);  The B3227 from Calve Street, over Cranford Moor, through Yarnscombe, and Atherington, to Umberley Bridge over the River Taw to meet South Molton Turnpike Road (about 8 miles) ;

Roborough Road (No. 13) UC road from the Calve Street through Saint Giles, to Roborough (about 4.5 miles);

Old Exeter (Wick Cross) Road (No. 14); UC Road from Gammaton Moor, east of Bideford, over Hunshaw Cross and Ebberly Hill to Week (Wick) Cross on the B3217 in Burrington where it meets the Old Exeter Road of the Barnstaple Turnpike Road (about 8 miles);

Belle Vue Road (No.15); UC cross road between B3232 and B3227from High Bullen to Bellview and then Bellview to Hunshaw Cross B3232. (about 2 miles);

 

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Known Toll Gates (extracts from Tollhouse National database) 17 sites identified of the 11 reported by the trust in 1840 (5surviving tollhouse - underlined)

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 23rd Sept 2013

erected by (Turnpike Trust or Authority)

Bibliographic refs

B3220

Morchard Station to Winkleigh

Taw Bridge

SS

67371

06521

DVMD

COLDRIDGE

Taw Bridge Tollhouse

Winkleigh Road

at jct with Millsome Lane

OS 1st Series; ; ;

Great Torrington

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.43; census 1871

 

 

SS

DVMD

COLDRIDGE

REPEAT

 

 

; ; ;

Great Torrington

 

B3220

Morchard Station to Winkleigh

Loosebeare Stop

SS

72570

05574

DVMD

ZEAL MONACHORUM

Stop Gate

Loosebeare Cross

at small crossroads

; ; ;

Great Torrington

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.44

B3220

Morchard Station to Winkleigh

Yeo Bridge

SS

730

054

DVMD

ZEAL MONACHORUM

W of Yeo Bridge, before Loosebeare

 

 

OS 1st Series; ; ;

Great Torrington

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.43; census 1861

B3232

Great Torrington to Barnstaple

Bartridges (Clogs Hill)

SS

519

254

DVTR

ALVERDISCOTT

Clogs Hill

 

 

; ; ;

Great Torrington

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.40; census 1861

A3124

Great Torrington to Winkleigh

Dolton Beacon

SS

5908

1335

DVTR

ASHREIGNEY

Beacon Cottage

Winkleigh Road

just south of Dolton Beacon cross roads, jct with B3217

; ; ;

Great Torrington

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.42; census 1871

A3124

Great Torrington to Exeter

Beaford (Woolleigh)

SS

551

153

DVTR

BEAFORD

jct with Biddamoor Lane, nr Beaford Rectory

 

OS 1st Series; ; ;

Great Torrington

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.42; census 1861

A386

Bideford to Great Great Torrington

Rothern Bridge

SS

4770

1967

DVTR

FRITHELSTOCK

The Toll House

Rakeham Hill

at jct on west bank of Rothern Bridge

OS 1st Series; Greenwood Devon (1827); ;

Great Torrington

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.38; census 1871

B3227

Great Torrington to Langtree

Torrington Bridge

SS

48821

18772

DVTR

GREAT TORRINGTON

The Toll House

Mill Street, Taddiport

on north side of bridge, opp. entrance to old factory site

; Greenwood Devon (1827); Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Great Torrington

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.39; census 1871

B3227

Great Torrington to Barnstaple

Calves Street

SS

500

194

DVTR

GREAT TORRINGTON

No. 96

Calf Street (Torrington Gate)

beside the roundabout junction with Calversford Road

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Great Torrington

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.41; census 1841

A3124

Gt Torrington to Winkleigh

Castle Garden Lane

SS

498

191

DVTR

GREAT TORRINGTON

Castle Garden Lane

nr Dick Hills Lane

 

; ; ;

Great Torrington

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.40; census 1871

A3124

Great Torrington to Exeter

Row's Moor

SS

500

178

DVTR

GREAT TORRINGTON

St Giles, Torrington

Rosemoor Hill

 

OS 1st Series; ; ;

Great Torrington

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.38; census 1871

Great Torrington to Weare Gifford

School Lane

SS

495

192

DVTR

GREAT TORRINGTON

School Lane

jct with New Street

 

; ; ;

Great Torrington

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.40; census 1871

A386

Great Torrington to Exeter

Well Street

SS

497

193

DVTR

GREAT TORRINGTON

Well Street

 

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Great Torrington

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.41

UC road

Hatherleigh to Gt Torrington

New Bridge

SS

499

183

DVTR

LITTLE TORRINGTON

Little Torrington

west side of bridge

 

; ; ;

Great Torrington

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.39; census 1871

UC road

 

Wembworthy

SS

665

085

DVTR

WINKLEIGH

Wembworthy

 

 

; ; ;

Great Torrington

 

B3232

Great Torrington to Barnstaple

Huntshaw

SS

530

221

DVTR

YARNSCOMBE

Huntshaw Cross

 

 

; Greenwood Devon (1827); Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Great Torrington

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.40; census 1871

 

Known Milestones

In the Milestone Society Database, 1 milestone are identified on the A3124, A386 and section of UC road,  – most in a design known as Torrington tombstone. Based on Trust mileage, would expect 69.

 

Mentions in Exeter Flying Post

 (excluding notices of meetings and letting of tolls)

Act to repair

22-Mar

1765

apply or increased powers

21-Aug

1806

raise tolls for improvements

14-Jun

1810

new gate to be erected

20-Jan

1820

consider new gate

05-Jul

1821

re toll charges

16-Jan

1823

re road widening

08-Jan

1824

notice of re road diversion

16-Mar

1826

improvement bill in Parliament

30-Nov

1826

apply to amend Act

01-Nov

1827

petition for Act to build new road

14-Feb

1828

meeting re new gate

18-Sep

1828

advert to raise loan

15-Jan

1829

notice of meeting re improvement

26-Feb

1829

apply for improvement Act

22-Oct

1829

meeting re re-siting gate

09-Sep

1841

notice re communication

15-May

1845

notice re application for Act

12-Nov

1862

re application to Parliament

11-Nov

1863

notice re renewal of Act

09-Nov

1864