Researching the history of toll houses
From
1663 to 1836 many British roads were improved by collecting tolls from
travellers towards their maintenance. Toll houses were built beside barriers
across the road, known as turnpikes, which halted the traveller for the toll to
be collected. Such toll or turnpike roads had to be approved by a Private Act
of Parliament, setting up a turnpike trust. Promoters also had to deposit plans
of turnpikes with the county, borough or parish authorities concerned. Turnpike
roads were profitable in the stagecoach era, but tolls declined with the coming
of the railways. Most turnpike trusts were
dissolved in the 1880s and 1890s.
- J.B. Bentley and B.J. Murless, Somerset Roads: the Legacy of the Turnpikes (2 vols, 1985, 1987) records surviving toll houses in the county.
- B. Duckham, 'Turnpike Records', History vol. 53 (1968).
- E. Pawson, Transport and Economy: The Turnpike Roads of Eighteenth Century Britain (1977).
- A. Rosevear, Turnpike Roads in England (online 2008). Includes a database of surviving tollhouses and a comprehensive tollhouse bibliography, including county gazetteers.
- G.N. Wright, Turnpike Roads (1992).
Primary sources
Acts of Parliament: Statutes at Large prints the long titles
of all Acts from 1509. From 1798 most Private Acts are published in two
series of volumes: Local Acts (from 1798) and Private
Acts (from 1815). The original Acts are in the House of Lords Record
Office, along with the petitions to introduce bills, and many associated
plans.- Printed material: Copies of the Private Act, printed prospectuses and opposing pamphlets may be found in local archives or libraries. Many prospectuses were published in local newspapers, along with advertisements of the leasing (by auction) of toll gates.
- Records of turnpike trusts, including minute books and accounts, are generally in the relevant county record office, deposited by solicitors (since a solicitor often acted as secretary of the trust). Plans and documents deposited with the Clerk of the Peace will also be found in the county record office, among Quarter Sessions records. The British Library holds the Kensington Turnpike Trust drawings. The LSE holds a volume of accounts of the Bickerton and Rufforth Turnpike Trust, Yorkshire 1810-1825.
- Descriptions and images: Travellers' journals and guides. See general sources for images and maps.