Callington Turnpike Roads                           (updated 24th Sept 2013)

This trust was created in 1764 as a town-centred Trust covering roads west of the lower Tamar. Its primary responsibilities were; (a) the main highway from Newbridge through to Liskeard (b) roads from the old crossing of the Tamar at Horsebridge (c) the road along the west bank of the Tamar serving the mining grounds in the Tamar valley.

List of Acts

Callington

 

4 Geo3 c48

1764

 

Callington

 

25 Geo3 c108

1785

 

Callington

 

46 Geo3 c15

1806

 

Callington

 

7&8 Geo4 c101

1827

 

 

New road to Launceston

1&2 Vic

1838

 

 

Callington 1806

An Act for continuing the Term, and altering and enlarging the Powers of Two Acts, passed in the Fourth and Twenty-fifth Years of His present Majesty, for repairing and widening several Roads leading from Callington, in the County of Cornwall. [31st March 1806.]

 

Callington 1827

An Act for repairing and improving certain Roads leading to and from Callington in the County of Cornwall. [14th June 1827.]

 

The Road from Calling ton to Launceston, is in some Parts narrow, steep,  circuitous, and incommodious ; and it would be of much Convenience and Advantage to the Public if certain new Pieces of Road were to be made on the Line of the said last-mentioned Road; that, is to say, a new Piece of Road diverging from Kingston Common, nearly opposite to Red-more Mine, and passing below Colacot's House, through the Farms of Higher Crockett and Lower Crockett, to join the present Road near Shuta Green; and a new Piece of Road passing through a Part of Dighouse Farm, near Beal's Mill Turnpike Gate, in   the Parish of Stokeclimsland in the County of Cornwall:  And whereas the Road comprised in the said Acts leading from Calling ton to Tavistock is in some Parts narrow, steep, circuitous, and incommodious; and it would be of much Convenience and Advantage to the Public if certain new Pieces of Road were to be made on the Line of the said last-mentioned Road ; that is to say, a new Piece of Road diverging from the present Road into Pengelly Farm, and passing through Two Fields thereof, and Part of Hingston Common, and joining the present Road about One Furlong onwards upon the said Common; a new Piece of Road diverging from about Three Furlongs Eastward of the Castock Inn, on. Hingston Common, through the several Inclosures made on the said Common, crossing the Calstock Road, passing below Drakewall’s Mine and Goldsworthy Cottage, to join the present Road nearly opposite the Granite Works; and also a new Piece of Road diverging from below the Cornish Inn, by Batten's House, through Gunnis Lake Mining Ground, and passing along between the present Road and the River Tamar, to join the present Road near the End of Tavistock New Bridge:  And  whereas the Road comprised in the said Acts, leading from Callington to Saltash, is in  some Parts  narrow, steep, circuitous, and incommodious ; and it would be of much Convenience and Advantage to the Public if certain new Pieces of Road were to be made on the Line of the said last-mentioned Road; that is to say, a new Piece of Road diverging from or near the Turnpike Gate at the Eastern End of Callington Town, by felling down a Barn, and passing certain Fields, the Property of Alexander Baring Esquire and others, and to join the present Road where it is crossed by a Lane commonly called Hangman's Lane,  otherwise Balsam Lane; a new Piece of Road diverging from or near from a Place called Balsam Hill, through Two Fields, Part of the Barton of Westcott, to join the present Road at or near Brendon Tree; a new Piece of Road to pass through the Corner of another Field, Part of Westcott Barton, opposite the Turnpike Gate called Brendon Tree Toll Gate ; and also a new piece of Road  diverging from Mewsland Green, through  a Farm called Tipwell, and along the Edge of Viverdown Common,  to join the present Road at or near Kiln Lane End:  And whereas the Road comprised in the said Acts leading from Callington to Liskeard is in some Parts narrow, steep, circuitous, and incommodious; and it would be of much Convenience and Advantage to the Public if certain new Pieces of Road were to be made on the Line of the said last-mentioned Road; that is to say, a new Piece of Road to pass through the Corner of a Field opposite Wonacroft Lane End , a new Piece of Road diverging from below Coombe Willis Green, through Creber, to join the present Road under Creber Wood; a new Piece of Road to pass through an Orchard at the Back of Jasper's House near New Bridge Toll Gate ; a new Piece of Road diverging from the Hill at the Foot of-New Bridge, through the Fields lying under the present Road, towards the Head of the Hill, and to join the present Road about a Furlong beyond Catson Gate ; a new Piece of Road diverging from the present Road into Thornton Wood at the Head of the Hill, and joining the present Road again at the Foot  of the said Hill; a new Piece of Road leading from  the present, Turnpike Road at Cransdown Green towards Gang, and round by Keason Estate, joining the present Turnpike Road again near Ford Farm ;  a new Piece of Road diverging into a Field, Part of Keason Estate, at the Foot of Coombe Gate Hill, and joining the present Road again  at the Head of the said Hill; a new Piece of Road to pass through  the Corner of a Field, Part of the Glebe Land of Saint Ive Vicarage,  opposite Saint Ive Church; and also a new Piece of Road diverging from the Head of Coombe Row Hill, through the Farm of Trebeigh, to join the present Road at the Foot of the Hill at or near Trebeigh Lane End: And whereas it is expedient that the Highway or Road leading from the present Turnpike Road at or near to the Toll Gate at Calmady's Shop, to or near to a certain Place called Bray's Shop, and also that the Highway or Road leading from Calmady's Shop aforesaid, to or near to a Place called Shutta. Green on the Turnpike Road leading from Launceston to Callington, should be made Turnpike,  and put under the Care of the said Trustees :

 

That this Act shall be put in execution, for and during the Term herein-after mentioned, for thePurpose for repairing of more effectually repairing, widening, altering, diverting, and from the Roads Time to Time improving and keeping in repair the Road leading herein mentioned 

from Callington over Hingston Down to the West End of Tavistock New Bridge in the Parish of Calstock; 

and from the said Road on Hingston Down, near a certain Place called Seven Stones, to the West End of Horsebridge in the Parish of Stokeclimsland;

and also the Road from Callington aforesaid through Saint Ive Church Town to a Place called Comberow in the Parish of Saint Ive aforesaid ;

and also the Road from Callington aforesaid to a Place called Watergate in the Parish of Southhill;

and also the Road from Calling ton aforesaid, over Hingston Down, to a Place called Bushford in the Parish of Stokeclimsland,

and from the said last-mentioned Road on Hingston Down to a certain Smith's Shop called Calmady's Shop in the Parish of Stokeclimsland aforesaid ;

and also the Road leading from Bushford aforesaid to a Place called Beal's Mill in the said Parish of Stokeclimsland;

and also the Road from Callington aforesaid to a Place called Bearland Bridge in the Parish of Callington aforesaid;

and also the Road from Callington aforesaid, by Brendon's Tree, over Viverdon Down, through Saint Meltion, to a Place called Penter's Cross in the Parish of Pillaton;

and also the Road from Callington aforesaid to a Place called Clapper Bridge in the Parish of Pillaton aforesaid ;

and also the Road leading from Penter's Cross aforesaid, to a Place called The Fighting Cocks in the Parish of Botesfleming,

and from or near from the Toll Gate at Calmady's Shop aforesaid to Bray's Shop aforesaid,

and from Calmady's Shop to Shutta. Green aforesaid, near the Turnpike Road leading from Callington to Launceston all in the County of Cornwall; and for making and completing and maintaining in repair the said several other new Pieces of Road herein-before described or mentioned.

 

Select Committee on State of Roads 1840

John Martin of Callington (clerk to the trust) reported

There are near 34 miles of road thru 9 parishes – all repaired by the trustees (there are ¾ of a mile of old road as well)

10 toll gates and 5 bars

The roads are stated to be in “tolerably good” condition considering the unfavourably wet weather– no part under indictment for want of repair.

 

7 miles in Callington, 4 miles in Calstock,10 miles in Stokeclimsland, 3 miles in St Ives, 3 miles in St Million, 1 mile in St Hall, 1 mile in Pillaton, 1 mile in St Dominick, and a bit in Landulph.

List of Roads

Tavistock Newbridge Road; The A390 from Tavistock Newbridge on the Tamar to Callington (about 5 miles)

Horsebridge to Hingston Down Road; UC from the old bridge over the Tamar, through Lucket to Sevenstones on the Tavistock Road (about 3 miles)

Liskeard Road; A388 from Callington towards Liskeard, through St Ive as far as Combrow near Merrymeet (about 6 miles)

SouthHill Road; A399 north from Callington, then branch on UC South Hill Road towards Watergate in South Hill (about 3 Miles)

Bushford Road; A388 north as Launceston Road to Kelly Bray then UC towards Bushford in Stokeclimsland (about 3 Miles)

Calmady’s Road; B3257 from Sevenstones on Higston Down, around north of Callington to meet A388 and go north to Calmady’s Gate on Launceston Road (about 3 miles)

Beals Mill Road; UC from Bushford in Stokeclimsland, North to Beals Mill (about 2 Miles)

Bearland Bridge Road; UC road West from Callington on Haye Road(less than a mile)

Saltash Road; A388 from Callington to Paynter’s Cross in Pillaton on road to Saltash (about 4 miles) then n as A388 to Fighting Cocks in BotusFleming (about 2 more miles)

Clapper Bridge Road; UC road south from Callington to Clapper Bridge on road to Tideford (about 2.5 miles)

Bray’s Shop Road; northwest to Calmady’s Gate on B3257 to Bray’s Shop (about 1.5 miles)

Shutta Green Raod; UC road from Calmady’s Gate to Shutta on UC road leading to StokeClimsland (the lauceston Turnpike before Wooda bridge built) (about 1 miles)

 

Added by 1838 Act

LauncestonNew Road; A388 from Taylor’s Shop to Wooda Bridge over River Inny (about 3 miles)

 

Callington Gunnislake milestone A milestone on the Callington Turnpike, above Greston Bridge

Callington Milestone A milestone on the Callington Turnpike, West of Callington

 

Callington pillar milestone A pillar milestone on the Callington Turnpike, North West of Callington

Click here for a map of Cornwall Turnpike Roads

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Known Tollhouses (extracts from Tollhouse National database) 12 identified of the 10 reported by the trust (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 24th Sept 2013

A390

Callington to Liskeard

Newbridge

SX

34769

67996

CWCN

CALLINGTON

Turnpike Cottage

Newbridge

east side of bridge over River Lynher

; ; ;

A388

Callington to Saltash

Brendon Tree

SX

377

685

CWCN

CALLINGTON

Mentioned in 1829 Act

 

 

; ; ;

A390

Callington to Tavistock

East (Westcott)

SX

376

685

CWCN

CALLINGTON

Mentioned in 1829 Act & advert

 

 

; ; ;

A388

Callington to Launceston

North

SX

3606

6994

CWCN

CALLINGTON

 

 

 

; ; ;

UC road

Callington to  Haye

West

SX

35

70

CWCN

CALLINGTON

is this Newbridge?

 

 

; ; ;

St Anne's Chapel

SX

4193

7083

CWCN

CALSTOCK

eastern end of St Ann's Chapel

house juts out from the usual building line, is situated at a road junction.

; ; ;

A388

Launceston to Callington

Calmady's Shop (Taylor's Shop)

SX

3446

7320

CWCN

SOUTH HILL

The Roundhouse (Camelot Boarding Kennels)

Launceston Road, Kelly Bray, Polhilsa

at crossroads with lanes to Golberdon and Downgate, via Shutta, south of Taylor's Shop Plantation; note that the trust rented this house for the convenience of the lessee

OS 1st Series; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Maders

SX

3464

7150

CWCN

SOUTH HILL

Gate House" on the Tithe Map c1842, possibly a toll was paid to use the newly built road to Callington.

; ; ;

UC road

Launceston to Callington

Beals Mill

SX

3588

7684

CWNC

STOKECLIMSLAND

Toll Cottage, Beals Mill

 

In 2010 the property is being ‘restored’

; ; advert;

UC road

Silver Valley to Horsebridge

Downgate

SX

371

727

CWNC

STOKECLIMSLAND

Kelly Bray, crossways cottage

 

 

; ; ;

A388

Launceston to Callington

Camelot

SX

3513

7250

CWNC

STOKECLIMSLAND

 

 

 

; ; ;

UC road

Silver Valley to Horsebridge

Horsebridge

SX

3982

7484

CWNC

STOKECLIMSLAND

 

 

 

; ; ;

 

 

Known Milestones

In the Milestone Society Database, 31 are identified on A390, A388, B3257, B3254 and UC roads, – most using just the letter C and distances. (based on Trust mileage, expect 34 i.e. some side roads may have been included)