Wells Turnpike Trust                     (updated 23rd Sept 2013)

This trust was created in 1753 as a town centred trust.  Its main responsibilities were (a) The old road to Bath from mid-Somerset (b) roads leading into the Market town.

List of Acts

Wells

 

26 Geo2 c76

1753

 

 

 

4 Geo3 c77

1764

 

 

 

19 Geo3 c32

1779

 

 

 

2 Geo4  c12

1821

1842

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expired

 

 

1883

Wells 1821

An Act for more effectually repairing and improving certain Roads, leading to and from the City or Borough of Wells, in the County of Somerset; and for paving, cleansing, lighting, watching, and watering the said Roads, and the Streets, Lanes, and public Passages within the said City or Borough, the Liberty of Saint Andrew, and Suburbs of the said City or Borough; and removing and preventing Nuisances and Annoyances thereon. [24th March 1821.]

 

Select Committee on State of Roads 1840

Thomas Conway Robins of Wells (clerk to the trust) reported

There are 37 miles of road through 18 parishes – all repaired by the trustees

9 toll gates and 5 side bar

The roads are stated to be in “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 36 miles 0 furl. 51 yds (similar to 1840)

List of Roads

(roads identified and mapped in “Somerset Roads – the Legacy of Turnpike, by Bentley and Murless 1985”)

A39 Pipers Inn, Wells to Rush Hill

A371 Wells to Shepton Mallet

B3139 Wells to White Post

And some UC 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) 13 sites identified of the 9 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 23rd Sept 2013

A39

Bath to Wells

Chewton (Worberry)

ST

6077

5394

SOME

CHEWTON MENDIP

Turnpike Corner, Hoarbury Crossways, Chewton Hill

there was a plaque on the N wall of Worberry Lane

 

OS 1st Series; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

B3139

Chilcompton to Kilmersdon

Old Down

ST

62980

51269

SOME

CHILCOMPTON

The Old Turnpike

Old Down, Lynch Hill

at jct with Coalpit Lane

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

A39

Wells to Glastonbury

Hartlake

ST

5123

4094

SOME

GLASTONBURY

Hartlake Bridge

Now a commemorative stone, maybe replaced Coxley Gate in 1833

; ; ;

B3139

Wells to Shepton Mallet

Dulcote

ST

5645

4462

SOME

ST CUTHBERT OUT

Dulcote village -assume Constitution Hill jct

the location of the fountain the villagers erected in 1861 "offered the perfect solution for the empty triangle of land at the main crossroads where in the 1820's and 1830's a toll-house had stood".  

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

B3151 (was A39)

Wells to Street

Street (Mead)

ST

4860

3724

SOME

STREET

The Toll House

Glaston Road

opp. The Mead, just south of roundabout where A39 now by-passes the town

OS 1st Series; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

A39

Street to Bridgwater

Walton

ST

4658

3636

SOME

STREET

No. 21, Turnpike Cottage

Asney Road, Walton

jct with Main Street and Quarry Batch

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

A39

Wells to Glastonbury

Northover bridge

ST

485

379

SOME

STREET

Northover, beside bridge

was replaced by Mead Gate in 1783

 

; ; ;

A39

Bath to Wells

Stoberry

ST

55070

46596

SOME

WELLS

Turnpike Cottage

Bristol Hill, N of jct with Walcombe Lane

behind hedges, half way up hill out of town

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

A39

Wells to Street

Keward

ST

54202

44977

SOME

WELLS

The Gatehouse

Glastonbury Road

opp. Nutricia factory, S of Police Station (replaced Southover in 1842)

; ; ;

B3139

Wells to Dulcote

Tor Hill (Fox Hill)

ST

55854

45490

SOME

WELLS

Tor Hill Gate Cottage

Tor Hill

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

A39

Wells to Glastonbury

Coxley

ST

513

409

SOME

WELLS

Wells Road, Southway (but note Stoppers Lane, Upper Coxley a little to NE)

maybe replaced by Hartlake

 

OS 1st Series; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

B3139

Wells to Bath

East Wells

ST

558

462

SOME

WELLS

Bath Road

between Beryl Lane and Hawker Lane jcts

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

A39

Wells to Street

Southover

ST

545

453

SOME

WELLS

Southover, opp present Sherston Hotel

was replaced by Keward Gate in 1842

 

OS 1st Series; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

 

Known Milestones

In the Milestone Society Database, 13 milestones are identified along this road, mostly on the A371, A39 and B3139 most in a design referred to as Top Plate Casting. Based on the mileage reported by the Trust in 1840, would expect 39.