Sherborne Turnpike Trust (updated
12th Feb 2009)
This trust was created
in 1807 Its main responsibilities were.
J House
of Commons - Reports
White sheet Hill Roads– 1753
A Petition of several gentlemen and other persons living in, near and usually travelling the Road leading from the top of a hill called White Sheet Hill in the Great Western Post Road in Parish of Donhead St Andrew (Wilts) thru the towns of Shafton (otherwise Shaftesbury) Milborn Port and Sherborne and from thence to a house called Half-way house situate in P of Nether (otherwise Lower) Compton. Roads very ruinous and in the Winter season main parts thereof are so bad that carriages cannot pass without danger
ref 6 Feb; rep 12;
to prove the allegations, Mr Henry Glover
informed committee that he knows the said road which is the
M Samuel Foot confirmed this
read Mar 6 om; 5 mar;
Petition to repair several other roads – on table Mar6;
A petition of several gents and other persons living near and usually travelling thru the road leading from the first crossways beyond the house called Drum in the great post road from Sherborne to Yeovil, down and thru a lane called Twinway Lane into and across a road called Bradford Road and thence into and though another lane called Horse Castle Lane to a bridge called West Bridge in Sherborne; and from thence to and thru the Parish of Long Burton, and so straight on to the bottom of an hill called Revells Hill, in the great road from Sherborne to Dorchester;
And likewise another road leading from the
new built house of Samuel Wise on the North side of Sherborne to the index or
directing post at Milborne Cow Down; and thence to another directing post in
the
And from thence to a place called Ansford
Inn, being the great road from Sherborne to
Also road from Angel Inn Shaston to the blacksmith’s shop in the town in occupation of Charles Freeke, and thence to and thru Gillingham, and from thence to the index or directing pos at the foot of Saltern Hill in Parish of Penselwood, and in the great road to the towns of Wincanton and Brewton, and also another road leading from a house called New Inn in Parish of Cann (Dorset) to the top of Melbry and Tolland- White Street.
Petitioners set forth that the roads are in the winter season very ruinous so travellers cannot pass safely
Join to these already in bill
co 7; rep and accord 12;
to restrain the erecting of turnpikes on the cross roads leading to Sherborne – com 12 Mar
A petition of inhabitants of Sherborne, Oborne, Castleton, Yetminster, Leigh Chetnole, Nether Compton, Thornford, Longburton, Candle, Bishops Sturton, Candle Poingtington, Sandford, Orcas, Corton, Denham and other places nearby Sherborn Oborne, Nether Compton and Bradford Abbas
Note powers to erect turnpikes and take tolls – road is 23 miles – allege that the road from the top of East Hill a mile east of Milborn Port through Milborn, Sherborne and Nether Compton to Half-way house and then thru Bradford Abbas and Yeovil to West Coker being 11 miles is now in as good condition as any turnpike road in England of the same level and that other parts with less than the Statute Duty in one year only of the parishes, the road might be made so and that Milborn to Nether Compton is on the London Road and from West Coker lie on stone, sand and gravel soil and the highways and by-roads leading to Milborne Port etc lie on the same soil
And that Sherborne is a considerable town and greatest part of the adjoining country lies on stone sand and gravel soil and in Sherborne alone are kept upwards of 50 teams , the roads may be repaired by less than Statute Labour. And placing of gates or turnpikes at all the Avenues of the town will tend greatly to injure the trade and fairs and markets of the town and will be a great oppression on the inhabitants and the neighbouring villages
If to was put into law ask that no powers be given to erect gates on the crossways or by-ways leading into Sherborn
12 Mar; to prove allegation John Fowkes said he knows the roads from White Hill and they are bad
Mr Matthew Merrifield confirmed this –instruction
to add the
rep17 - add clause to impower trustees to compound with inhabitants of neighbouring parishes for passing thru the Turnpikes on Market days. pass 23 lords 30 Royal ascent 17 Apr
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25 Feb 1762
A Petition of several gents living near and travelling the road
There is a bill for road from Whitesheet
Hill to
It is the petitioners opinion that it would be more advantageous if road went from top of Whitesheet Hill to Hare Warren and from thence continue on the old road to the index post standing near Blandford turnpike road on the side of Harnham Hill in the parish of Bridford, instead of going the remainder of the road in the earlier Petition.
List of Acts
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Sherborne |
split into
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26 Geo2 c60 |
1753 |
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1801 |
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3 Geo4 c62 |
1822 |
1843 |
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Expired |
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1877 |
Sherborne 1801
An Act for more effectually
amending, widening, improving, and keeping in Repair, the Road from the Top of
White Sheet Hill in the Parish of Donbead Saint Andrew, in the County of Wilts,
through the Towns of Shaftesbury, Milborne Port and Sherborne, in the Counties
of Dorset and Somerset, to the Halfway House in the Parish of Nether otherwise
Lower Compton, in the said County of Dorset, and several other Roads near the
Towns of Shaftesbury and Sherborne aforesaid. [21st May 1801.]
Select Committee on State
of Roads 1840
James Procter Melmoth of Sherborne (clerk to the trust) reported
There are 51 and a quarter miles of road through 34 parishes – all let
for repair in districts by the trustees (none repaired by parishes)
25 toll gates
The roads are stated to be in “generally good” repair – no part under
indictment for want of repair.
In “Return of length of road in each Turnpike
Trust in
Trust reported 51
miles 6 furl. 194 yds (similar to 1840)
List of Roads
(WV indicates road identified and mapped in
Somerset Roads – the Legacy of Turnpike, by Bentley and Murless 1985)
Road. h (about 7 miles)
Return to Turnpikes in
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