Bath Turnpike Trust                       (updated 15th Oct 2013)

This trust, created in 1707, was one of the earliest turnpike trusts in England. Its main responsibilities were the western end of the Great Western Road to Bath Spa and a network of roads within Bath and radiating into NE Somerset and South Gloucestershire. The trust changed and grew as improvements were made to roads leading from the Downs into the Avon valley, most notably taking responsibility from the Brickers Barn Trust for the new road down from Box, which displaced the Kingsdown road as the principal road from the east, and for the road from the jct on this old road to the new road at Box.

List of Acts

Bath

 

6 Anne c42

1707

 

Bath

 

7 Geo1 c19

1721

 

Bath

Added Claverton Down, Dunkerton Bridge road and Avon Bridge to Newton

12 Geo2 c20

1739

 

Bath

 

30 Geo2 c67

1757

 

 

Amending

32 Geo2 c51

1759

 

 

Amending

1 Geo3 c31

1761

 

 

 

33 Geo3 c144

1793

 

Bath & branches

3 Districts

50 Geo3 c153

1810

 

Bath & branches

 

10 Geo4 c110

1829

1860

 

Expired

39 & 40 Vic c39

 

1878

 

Bath 1829

An Act for amending and otherwise improving several Roads leading into and from the City of Bath, and for making new Branches of Roads to and from the same. [1st June 1829.]

First District, which shall comprise the Road from the Eastward end of the Bridge called Lomb Bridge, in the Parish of Swainswick in the said County of Somerset, through the Parishes of Batheaston and Bathford in the same County, to a Stone set as a Mark where that Line of the Road terminates on the Top of Kingsdown Hill in the said Parish of Box, which shall be called the London Road;

the road leading from Batheaston Bridge on the said London Road to the Cross Roads leading to Colerne, Nettleton, and Marshfield, all lying in the said Parishes of Batheaston and Bathford, and in the Parish of Colerne in the County of Wills, which shall be called the Colerne Road;

the Road leading from the Eastward End of Lansdown Place, in the Parish of Walcot in the said County of Somerset, to the Monument on Lansdown, and from the said Monument to the Cross Roads where the Bath and Bristol Roads unite, which said last-described Roads shall be called the Lansdown and Wick and Abson Roads, and which said Two last-mentioned Roads do lie in the several Parishes of Walcot, Charlcombe, and Weston, in the said County of Somerset, and in the several Parishes of Coldashton, Bitton, Doynton, and Wick and Abson, in the County of Gloucester ;

 

Second District, which shall comprise the Road leading from the South End of Bath Old Bridge, up the new Road on the North Side of`Holloway, and from thence by a Place called Devonshire Buildings, up the new Road through Barracks Farm, to the White Post in the Parish of Midsomer Norton, where the Bath, Wells, and Shepton Mallett Roads unite, all lying in the several Parishes of Lyncomb and Widcomb, Combhay, Englishcombe, Dunkerton, Wellow, Camerton, Radstoke, Midsomer Norton, Kilmersdon, and Stratton-on-the-Foss, in the said County of Somerset, and the Road leading from the South End of the said Bath Old Bridge, up Holloway, to the Junction with the said last-mentioned Road near the Bear Inn, which shall ,be called the Upper Wells and Holloway Road; the Road leading from the Turnpike called the Holloway or Upper Wells Gate, by Cottage Crescent, to a Lane leading to the Red Lion on Odd Down, which shall be deemed Part of the said Upper Wells Road;

the Road leading from Devonshire Buildings aforesaid, up Entry Hill, to the Warminster and Frome Roads, being in the said Parish of Lyncomb and Widcomb, which shall be called the Warminster and Frome Road; the new Road leading from and out of the said Upper Wells Road to the Junction with the Warminster and Frome Road, all lying in the several Parishes of Lyncomb and Widcomb and South Stoke in the said County of Somerset, which shall be deemed Part of the said Warminster and Frome Road;

the Road leading from the Stone Quarries at the top of Entry Hill, over Comb Down, to the Road leading from Bath to Bradford, lying in the several Parishes of Lyncomb and Widcombe, Claverton and Monckton Combe, in the said County of Somerset, and the Road leading from a Public House called the White Hart, at the Eastward End of Claverton Street in the said Parish of Lyncomb and Widcombe, up Claverton Hill and over Claverton Down, to the Bridge over Comb Brook at the Bottom of Coomb Hill, where the Bath and Bradford Roads unite, all lying in the several Parishes Lyncomb and Widcomb, Claverton and Monckton Combe, in the said County of Somerset, which shall be called the Comb Doom and Claverton and Coomb Hill Roads;

 

Third District, which shall comprise the Road loading from the South End of the said Bath Old Bridge to the Globe at Newton Saint Loe, and from thence to a Point near the Top of Rush Hill where a Boundary Stone is erected, and there joining the Shepton Mallett Turnpike Road, all lying in the several Parishes of Lyncombe and Widcombe, Twerton, Newton Saint Loe, Corston, Marksbury, Compton Dando, Farmborough, High Littleton, Farrington Gurney, and Stoneaston, in the said County of Somerset, which shall be called the Lower Bristol and Lower Wells Roads;

the Road leading from the Westward Boundary of the City of Bath, near the Road or Way leading to Marlborough Buildings in the said Parish of Walcot, to Combe Brook in the Parish of Kelston, where the Bath and Bristol Roads unite, all lying in the several Parishes of Walcot, Weston, and Kelston in the said County of Somerset, which shall he called the Kelston or Upper Bristol Road; and the Road leading from the Direction Post on the said Kelston Road, near Partis College, over Newton Bridge, to the Turnpike Gate called the Cross Post Gate, communicating with the Lower Bristol and Lower Wells Roads, all lying in the several Parishes of Weston and Newton Saint Loe in the said County of Somerset, which shall be deemed Part of the Kelston or Upper Bristol Road;

 

also for making and maintaining the several new Branches of Road and the said new line of road herein described, in the said Parish of Bow. Described as;………..

(i)                 new made from a certain Road called the Kelston or Upper Bristol Road, branching on the South Side thereof from and through a Lane leading to the Limekilns near Locksbrook in the Parish of Weston in the County of Somerset, and thence to communicate nearly in a straight Line, through the Lands of Thomas Leir, William Purlewent, and John Wiltshire, Esquires, and others, with the same Road at or near the Bottom of New Bridge Hill, such new Line being in the said Parish of Weston ;

(ii)               also from the Road called the Lower Wells Road, branching on the Eastward Side thereof from a Point nearly opposite the Rectory House in the Parish of Marksbury, in the Occupation of the Reverend George Seymour, and to Join the same Road leading from Marksbury to Farmborough on the Westward Side of Marksbury Church, such new Line being in the said Parish of Marksbury;

(iii)             also from the said Road called the Lower Wells Road, branching on the South Side thereof, at or near to the Point where the Timsbury Road joins the said Lower Wells Road, about Nine Miles and a Half from the City of Bath, in a Southerly Direction into and through the Lands of Lieutenant General Popham, Jacob Collins, Henry Tucker, and others, and to communicate with the said Lower Wells Road at a Point near the Dwelling House of Walter Gaby, in the Parish of High Littleton, such new Line being in the said Parishes of Farmborough and High Littleton ;

(iv)             also from the Road called the Upper Wells Road, branching on the Eastward Side thereof from or near·Dunkerton Bridge, and passing on the South-easterly and South-westerly Sides of the present Road into and through the Lands of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Citizens of the City of Bath, Elizabeth Jane Bury, Micah Gibbs, Walter Long Esquire, and others, and to communicate with the same Road at the Distance of Three Furlongs or thereabouts above the Five Mile Stone on such Road, such new Line being in the Parish of Wellow ;

(v)               and also from the Road called the London Road, branching on the North-eastward Side thereof from or near to the Dwelling House of Roger Western Esquire, in the Parish of Bathford, into, through, and across an Orchard and Field belonging to John Briscoe, and there to communicate with the Turnpike Road leading from Bath to Chippenham, such new Line being in the said Parish of Bathford :

(vi)             And whereas, in consequence of the dangerous Steepness of the Hill called Kingsdown Hill, or a Part thereof being on the said Road called the London Road, it would be of great public Benefit and Utility if a new Road to avoid the same were made from or near the Bridge near to the Lodge of John Wiltshire Esquire, in the Parish of Box in the said County of Wills, to or near or into the Village of Box, and thence up the Box Valley to or near the Point where the Bradford and Pickwick Roads cross the Road leading from Box to Melksham, such new Line being in the said Parish of Box.

 

Select Committee on State of Roads 1840

Phillip George of Bath (clerk to the trust) reported

There are 51 miles 2 furl. of road through 34 parishes – all repaired by the trustees

17 toll gates and 9 side bars

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 England & Wales” Parl. Papers 1847-48 – (dated May 1848)

Trust reported 52 miles 2 furl. 29 yds (similar to 1840)

List of Roads

(only a short distance is in “Somerset Roads – the Legacy of Turnpike, by Bentley and Murless 1985”)

 

London Road; A4 eastwards to Batheaston and then UC road over Kingsdown to Blue Vein.

Colerne Road; UC road NE from Batheaston along old Roman Road to County boundary.

Lansdown and Wick and Abson Roads; UC road N from Bath over Lansdown, past the Monument to meet A420 at Toghill.

Upper Wells and Holloway Road; A367 from Bath to Old Down through Peasedown St John to White Post nr Chilcompton at jct with B3139. Bath Bridge to Holloway and to Old Down.

Warminster and Frome Road; The A3062 through Widcombe and Combe Hill to Old down

Comb Doom and Claverton and Coomb Hill Roads; UC road over Combe Down and Claverton Down over A36 to Combe Bridge jct with B3108.

Lower Bristol and Lower Wells Roads; A4 westwards through Twerton to Newton and Corston, then as A39 to through Marksbury and Farrington Gurney and jct with A37 to Shepton.

Kelston or Upper Bristol Road; The A431 through Weston and Kelston to County Boundary; road through Newbridge to Newton St Loe.

Box Road; A365 from Box to jct with B3109 and Blue Vein road.

 

Click here for a map of Bath & Bristol Turnpike Roads

Click here for a map of Somerset Turnpike Roads

Click here to return to Turnpikes Home

 

Return to Turnpikes in Somerset general page

 

Known Tollhouses (extracts from Tollhouse National database) 24 sites identified of the 17 reported by the Trust in 1840 (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 15th Oct 2013

erected by (Turnpike Trust or Authority)

Bibliographic refs

Revised 23rd Sept 2013

Old County

MSS National ID

UC road

Old Road from Bath to Radstock

Bloomfield Road

ST

7442

6326

AVBS

BATH

Westfield Cottage, No. 150

Bloomfield Road

at jct with Englishcombe Lane

; ; ;

Bath

-

SO

AV.BAT02

A4

Bath to Box

Grosvenor (London Road or Walcot)

ST

75937

66155

AVBS

BATH

No. 1

Balustrade, Walcot

at jct with St Saviour's Road, at end of shops

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824; Searle Vol 1.

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 155; Census 1871

SO

AV.BAT03

UC road

Bath to Claverton Down

Bathwick

ST

7705

6421

AVBS

BATH

The Round House

The Avenue, top of Bathwick Hill, Claverton Down

opp. Copeland, now in a cul de sac by entrance to University on the Bath Skyline Trail

OS 1st Series; ; ;

Bath

 

SO

AV.BAT05

UC road

Bath to Wick

Lansdown

ST

748

660

AVBS

BATH

Lansdown Road, jct with Richmond Road nr St Thomas church

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 152; Census 1841

SO

A36

Bath to Bristol

Lower Bristol

ST

748

643

AVBS

BATH

Lower Bristol Road; opp Milk Street

 

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Bath

 

SO

A3062

Bath to Combe Down

Combe Down Middle

ST

753

623

AVBS

BATH

 

 

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 160; Census 1851

SO

UC road

Bath to Combe Down

Coombe Hill (Brassknocker) (with Weighing engine)

ST

778

632

AVBS

BATH

Coombe Hill, Claverton

 

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 151; Census 1841

SO

A367

Bath to Radstock

Holloway (Wells)

ST

747

640

AVBS

BATH

Holloway, Bear Flat

 

 

OS 1st Series; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 162; Census 1841

SO

A431

Bath to Bitton

Weston

ST

73

66

AVBS

BATH

 

 

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 157; Census 1871

SO

UC road

Bath to Claverton Down

Bathwick

ST

755

643

AVBS

BATH

bottom of Widcomb Hill, between basins of canal, Pulteney Road

 

; ; ;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 153

SO

A4

Bath to Bristol

Blue Lodge

ST

744

646

AVBS

BATH

Upper Bristol Road

opp. Walcot Quarry (Park lane jct)

 

; ; ;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 158; Census 1841

SO

A3062

Bath to Combe Down

Claverton (Widcombe)

ST

753

643

AVBS

BATH

Claverton Street  jct at N end of Lyncomb Hill

 

; ; ;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 154; Census 1871

SO

A4

Bath to Bristol

Park Farm

ST

743

651

AVBS

BATH

Marlborough Lane jct with Upper Bristol Road

 

; ; ;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 156; Census 1871

SO

A36

Bath to Bristol

Twerton (Bristol)

ST

744

646

AVBS

BATH

Lower Bristol Road

demolished mid 20th cent

 

; ; ;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 158; Census 1841

SO

A4

Bath to Box

Bath Easton

ST

781

675

AVBS

BATHEASTON

London Road jct with Bannerdown Road

 

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 150; Census 1841

SO

A37

Bristol to Shepton Mallet

White Cross (with Weighing engine)

ST

6292

5685

AVBS

CLUTTON

Turnpike Cottage

White Cross, Wells Road, Hallatrow

at jct with A39 to Hallotrow and Bath, between Temple Cloud and Farrington Gurney

; ; ;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 163; Census 1861

SO

AV.CLU

A367

Bath to Radstock

Burnthouse (Odd Down)

ST

734

618

AVBS

COMBE HAY

Vernham Wood jct on Odd Down

 

 

OS 1st Series; ; ;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 163; Census 1871

SO

AV.COM

A39

Bath to Wells

Corston

ST

66847

64015

AVBS

CORSTON

Two Headed Man (Corston Motors)

Wansdyke

at jct with B3116 to Keynsham

; ; ;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 161; Census 1851

SO

AV.COR

A367

Bath to Radstock

Severcombe

ST

719

608

AVBS

ENGLISHCOMBE

Severcombe store house at jct opp large stone house

 

; ; ;

Bath

 

SO

AV.ENG

A431

Bath to Bitton

Kelston

ST

70

67

AVBS

KELSTON

 

 

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824; old ticket

Bath

 

SO

A39

Bath to Wells

Marksbury

ST

666

625

AVBS

MARKSBURY

 

demolished 1960s

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 162; Census 1871

SO

A4

Bath to Bristol

Cross Post

ST

714

656

AVBS

NEWTON ST LOE

 

S of Newton Bridge

demolished 1967

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 159; Census 1871

SO

UC road (was A367)

Bath to Shepton Mallet

Red Post

ST

69827

57145

AVBS

PEASEDOWN ST JOHN

Old Red Post Bakery

Bath Road, jct with Whitebrook Lane, Red Post

opp. Red Post Inn

; ; ;

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 160; Census 1871

SO

AV.PEA

A4

Bath to Box

Bailbrook

ST

769

668

AVBS

SWAINSWICK

E of jct with Fosse - dated 1830

 

 

; ; ; Searle Vol 1.

Bath

Dowding J & Taylor P. (2013) The Toll-Houses of Somerset , p 154; Census 1871

SO

 

Known Milestones

In the Milestone Society Database, 39 milestones are identified along this road, mostly on the A4, A39 and A367, several in designs referred to as Bath Plate and the Bath Guildhall Plate. There are several particularly striking terminus plates with distinctive hands indicating the way to Bath. Based on the mileage reported by the Trust in 1840, would expect 51.