Moretonhampstead Turnpike Trust                                      (updated 24th Sept 2013)

This trust, created in 1772, cut a new road across the heart of Dartmoor, making a new connection between the Exeter and Tavistock turnpikes and an alternative route to Cornwall.

J House of Commons - Reports

18 Feb 1772 Moretonhampstead Road

Petition of gents, clergy, freeholders and inhabitants of Moretonhampstead

That road from Exeter TP at Reedy Gate in Dunsford thru Moretonhampstead and Parish of Bridford, North Bovey, Chagford, Widecombe, Lydford and Forest of Dartmoor to Cherry Brook (15 miles) is so very narrow, deep, founderous, ruinous, in decay and incommodious that for the greater part of the year is impassable.

 

25 Feb 1772

Mr Duntze reported

To prove the allegations Mr Christopher Gullett said it is very narrow

28 Feb 1772

Petition of trustees of Okehampton TP – great deal of money has been laid out these roads – road thru Moretonhampstead is over wild uninhabited Forest where a road never was, it will affect private property and landed interests on roads from Exeter and Boroughs of Okehampton, Launceston, Bodmin Camelford, Mitchell and, he think, thru Ashburton and Totnes.

 

5 Mar 1772

Sir George Yong reported

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List of Acts

Moretonhampstead

Dunsford Reedy Gate to Cherry Brook

12 Geo3 c93

1772

 

Moretonhampstead

 

31 Geo3 c117

1791

 

Moretonhampstead

 

53 Geo3 c3

1813

 

Moretonhampstead

 

3&4 Wil4 c6

1833

 

Moretonhampstead

Expired

 

1864

1864

 

 

Dunsford to Cherry Brook 1813

An Act for enlarging the Term and Powers of Two Acts of His present Majesty, for repairing the Road from the Exeter Turnpike at Reedy Gate, in the Parish of Dunsford, to Cherrybrook in the Forest of Dartmoore, in the County of Devon. [23d March 1813.]

Dunsford to Cherry Brook 1833

An Act for repairing the Road from Reedy Gate in the Parish of Dunsford, through Moretonhampstead, to Cherry Brook in the Forest of Dartmoore, in the County of Devon. [29th March 1833.]

 

Select Committee on State of Roads 1840

Moses Woolland Harvey of Moretonhampstead (clerk to the trust) reported

There are 15 miles 4 furl 7 pl of road thru 6 parishes – no part of the road is repaired by the trustees, the tolls not now realising sufficient to pay the incidental expenses of the trust and interest on the debt; and consequently is all repaired by the parishes through which the road runs.

4 toll gates

 

That part of the road which is situate in the parish of Lidford is in a very bad state of repair, and against which an indictment is pending; all other parts are “tolerably good”, but rather hilly. 

 

The debt was honestly created; one part of it (£2000) was expended in making a new road over Dartmoor Forest, towards Tavistock and Plymouth (and near where the prisons of war were afterwards built) and where before no regular road existed, and the remainder, which was borrowed in 1813 and 1814, was employed partly in paying interest that had got into arrear on former deed polls, obtaining an Act of Parliament, and cutting round several hills of some miles in extent, that lay on the Exeter side of the town of Moretonhampstead, and until when no wheeled vehicle could be used with any facility or dispatch, if at all, but certainly not at all without great danger.

 

List of Roads

Moretonhampstead Road; B3212 from Dunsford through Moretonhampstead to Cherry Brook near Princetown (jct with B3357) (about 15 miles)

 

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Known Tollhouses (extracts from Tollhouse National database) 6 identified of the 4 reported by the trust (survivor 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 23rd Sept 2013

erected by (Turnpike Trust or Authority)

Bibliographic refs

B3212

Moretonhampstead to Exeter

New Bridge

SX

8077

8856

DVTE

DUNSFORD

Toll Cottage

Moreton Road

near jct with Lee Lane, opp. chapel

OS 1st Series; Greenwood Devon (1827); Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Moretonhampstead

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p100; 1841 census

B3212

Moretonhampstead to Princetown

Bughead Cross (2 gates)

SX

734

854

DVTE

MORETONHAMPSTEAD

Bughead Cross

 

 

OS 1st Series; Greenwood Devon (1827); Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Moretonhampstead

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p102; empty in 1881 census

UC road

Moretonhampstead to Exeter

Folly Lane

SX

755

860

DVTE

MORETONHAMPSTEAD

Folly Lane

behind Almshouses on Cross Street

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Moretonhampstead

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p100; 1861 census

B3212

Moretonhampstead to Princetown

Two Bridges

SX

609

750

DVWD

DARTMOOR FOREST

Two Bridges

 

 

; ; ;

Moretonhampstead

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p98

B3212

Moretonhampstead to Princetown

Moor (Byhead)

SX

702

833

DVWD

DARTMOOR FOREST

Byhead Turnpike

now modern Moogate Cottage

 

OS 1st Series; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Moretonhampstead

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p97

B3212

Moretonhampstead to Princetown

Postbridge

SX

648

789

DVWD

DARTMOOR FOREST

Postbridge

 

 

; ; ;

Moretonhampstead

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p98

 

Known Milestones

In the Milestone Society Database, 9 milestones are identified on the B3212,  – most in a design known as Moreton four and Moreton rough. Based on Trust mileage, would expect 16.

Mentions in Exeter Flying Post

 (excluding notices of meetings and letting of tolls)

meeting re turnpike on Dartmoor

12-Jul

1771

meeting re turnpike on Dartmoor

02-Aug

1771

survey being made for TP on Dartmoor

29-Sep

1771

Dartmoor Act in Lords

10-Apr

1772

re new road and gates

22-May

1772

build Bridge at Postbridge

12-Mar

1773

Lett Gates (Reedy Gate Dunsford to Cherry Brook in Forest of Dartmoor)

31-Oct

1799

notice of re repairs

27-Aug

1812

notice of meeting regarding alteration of road from Reedy Gate to the town

31-Mar

1814

report of meeting; Rev George Gregory will contribute 25% of cost of  diverting road that passes thru Bridford Wood to avoid steep ascent - open subscriptions at Exeter Banks.

05-May

1814

notice re new road

07-Aug

1828

MW Harvey replaces James Pitt as Secretary

23-Oct

1828

new road to avoid Wormhill Bridge Hill

13-Aug

1829

notice renewal of Act

09-Nov

1864