Truro Turnpike Trust (updated 13^th Jan 2009)

This was the first turnpike trust in Cornwall. It was created in 1754 as a town-centred trust to turnpike the four main highways radiating from Truro across the southern part of the peninsular and along the west bank of the River Fal. It later included some lesser roads into Truro, becoming the largest trust in the county.

J House of Commons - Reports

16 Jan 1754 Truro Roads

A petition of Justices, gentlemen, clergy and principal inhabitants of Truro, Penryn, Helstone, Lostwithiel, Gampound and St Michael, and the market towns of Falmouth, Redruth, St Austell and St Columb presented;

That four principal roads branch out from the Borough of Truro,

SW to Penryn, Falmouth and Helstone,

N to Shortlanesend

W to Redruth, and thence to Camborne Church town

E to Lostwithiel passing through Grampound

SE to St Columb passing through Newlyn and St Enoder

These roads have become ruinous and wheeled carriages pass in great danger

Need a bill to erect toll houses and levy tolls.

List of Acts

Truro	created	27 Geo2 c21	1754
Truro	Repair Steppings Bridge	13 Geo3 c112	1773
Truro		22 Geo3 c89	1782
Truro		42 Geo3 c4	1802
Truro		57 Geo3 c44	1817
Truro		9 Geo4 c3	1828
Truro		11&12 Vic c51	1848
Truro	incorporates Truro and Redruth	12&13 Vic c44	1849

Truro 1802

An Act for continuing the Term and altering and enlarging the Powers of Two Acts; the One, passed in the Thirteenth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, for more effectually amending several Roads leading from and near the Borough of Truro, in the County of Cornwall, and for building and keeping in Repair a Bridge over the River at a Place called the Steppings, in or near the said Borough; and the other, passed in the Twenty-second Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, for extending the Provisions of the said former Act to the several other Roads therein described. [24th February 1802.]

Truro 1817

An Act for enlarging the Term and Powers of several Acts of His present Majesty, for repairing certain Roads leading from Truro, and other Roads communicating therewith, in the County of Cornwall; and for building and keeping in Repair a Bridge over the River there. [16th June 1817.]

Truro 1828

An Act for making, repairing, and improving certain Roads leading to and from Truro in the County of Cornwall. [21st March 1828.]

Earlier Acts were for more effectually amending several Roads leading from the Borough of Truro in the County of Cornwall and for building and keeping' in repair a Bridge over the River at a Place called the Steppings and the Roads leading from Short Lane's End in the Parish of Kenwyn to Callestock Burrow, and from the Two Burrows in the said Parish to Perran Almshouse, and from the Three Burrows in the said Parish to Saint Agnes Almshouse, in the said County And whereas considerable Sums of Money have been borrowed for the Purposes of the said Acts on the Credit of the Tolls thereby granted, Part of which Money still remains due and unpaid :And whereas it would be of public Utility if either the Whole or a Part of a Dwelling House situate on the South Side of the Eastern End of Bodmin Street in the Town of Truro, and occupied by Thomas May, were taken down, and the Scite thereof added to the present Turnpike Road leading from Truro to and through Grampond; and if a new Piece of Road were made on the Line of the said present Road diverging from the Eastern End of Saint Austell Street in Truro aforesaid, and passing through the Parishes of Saint Clement and Saint Erme to rejoin the said present Road near Kiggon Bridge in the said Parish of Saint Erme ; and also if the Trustees having the Care of the said Roads were empowered to discharge themselves from the Care and Management of all or any Part of so much of the said present Road as will lie between the Commencement and Termination of the said intended new Piece of Road: And whereas the present Turnpike Road leading from Truro to the Borough of Mitchell (being a Part of the Road leading from Truro, through the Village of Penhale in the Parish of Saint Enoder, to Bodmin,) is in some Parts narrow, steep, and incommodious, and it would therefore and otherwise be of public Utility if a new Road we're made diverging from the said Road leading from Truro to and through Grampond at or near the Foot of Truck Hill in the Parish of Pro bits, and passing by the Northern Valley, through the several Parishes of Prolnis, Ladoc/c, and Saint Enoder, to join the said Road leading from Truro through Penhale to Bodmin at Penliale aforesaid: And whereas the present Turnpike Road leading from Truro to the Borough of Penryn is in some Parts very steep, circuitous, and incommodious, and it would be of great public Utility if certain new Pieces of Road were to be made on the Line thereof; that is to say, a new Piece of Road diverging from the last-mentioned Road near Plynt's Barn, and passing through the several Parishes of Kemoyn and Kea, to rejoin the same Road near Killiganoon in the Parish of Feock, about Two Miles and One thousand four hundred and thirty Yards from Truro ; another new Piece of Road diverging at Killiganoon aforesaid, about Three Miles and Five hundred and fifty Yards from Truro, and passing through the said Parish of Feock, and thence across the Railway and Carnon River and Carnon Old Stream Works, and thence to and along the North Side of Perron Creek to Perron Wharf in the Parish of Perran-Arwothal, to rejoin the same present Road near Rapson's Mill at Perran Wharf aforesaid; and another new Piece of Road diverging at Belle Vue, and passing through certain Fields lying Westward of the same present Road in the Parish of Saint Gluvias, and crossing the same present Road about Two hundred and thirty Yards below the Penryn Town Turn-pike Gate, and then passing through certain other Fields lying Eastward of the same present Road in the said Parish of Saint Gluvias and Borough of Penryn respectively, and over the Head of the Creek, there to join the Turnpike Road leading from Redruth to Penryn near the Bottom of New Street; or if (instead of the intended Line last mentioned) a new Piece of Road were made diverging at the said Turnpike Gate, and passing through certain Fields lying Eastward of the said present Road leading from Truro to Penryn, and situate respectively in the said Parish of Saint Gluvias and Borough of Penryn, and also over the Head of the Creek, to join the said Road leading from Redrutli to Penryn at the Point aforesaid ;and also if the said Trustees were empowered to discharge themselves from the Care and Management of all or any of such Parts of the said present Road from Truro to Penryn as will lie between the several Points at which the said several new Pieces of Road intended to be made on the Line of the same present Road will respectively commence and terminate : And whereas it would be of public Utility if so much of the present Highway or Road, leading from Perron Wharf aforesaid Westward to the said present Turnpike Road leading from Truro to Penryn, as will lie Westward of the said intended new Line of Road to Perron Wharf, were made Turnpike; and if a new Piece of Road were made branching out of the Turnpike Road last mentioned at the Point, at which the said Highway or Road joins the same present Turnpike Road, and passing through several Fields in the said Parish of Perron- Arwothal to join the present Turnpike Road leading from Truro, to and over Tretheage Bridge, at or near Pellean Bar or Gate in the said Parish of Pcrran-Arwothal ; and if the Trustees of the said Roads were empowered to discharge themselves from the Care and Management of all or any Part of so much of the said Road leading from Truro to and over Tretheage Bridge as will lie between the Commencement of the said intended new Piece of Road from Killiganoon to Perran Wharf and Pellean Bar or Gate aforesaid : And whereas the present Road leading from Truro to the Chapel Hill Turnpike Gate (being a Part of the Road leading from Truro to Redruth) is very steep and incommodious, and it would be of public Utility if a new Piece of Road were made diverging from the said present Road leading from Truro to Penryn at or about Sixty Yards beyond the Barrack Ground, and passing through certain Fields in or near a Westerly Direction, to join the said present Road leading from 'Truro to Redruth at Chapel Hill Gate aforesaid ; and if Parts of certain Houses situate in Kenwyn Street in Truro aforesaid, in the several Occupations of James Bastian, Samuel Trenerry, Esther Symons, William Rowe, Thomas Walley, John Knuckey, and Thomas Gilbert Hicks, were taken clown, and a new Piece of Road were made diverging from the said present Road leading from Truro to Redruth at or near the Entrance of Bosvigo Lane, and passing through certain Fields in a Westerly Direction, and joining the same present Road at Bosvigo Barn ; and in case the proposed Piece of Road last mentioned were made, then also if the said Trustees were empowered to discharge themselves from the Care and Management of so much of the last-mentioned present Road as will lie between the Commencement of the last-mentioned proposed new Piece of Road and Chapel Hill Gate aforesaid : And whereas it is expedient that a certain Highway, branching out of the said present Turnpike Road from Truro to Mitchell near Mitchell Hill Gate, to Morresk Mill in the Parish of Saint Clement, should be made Turnpike, and put under the Care of the said Trustees for the Space of Nine hundred Yards from the same Turnpike Road :

New Act defines

the present Turnpike Road leading from Truro aforesaid to Redruth aforesaid; and the Turnpike Road leading from the present Third Mile Stone on the last-mentioned Road to a Place called the Three Burrows, in the said Parish of Kenwyn, and from the Three Burrows aforesaid to Saint Agnes Almshouse; and also the present Turnpike Road leading from Truro aforesaid to Penryn aforesaid, and there falling into the Turnpike Road leading from Redruth to Penryn aforesaid; and also the present Turnpike Road branching out of the said Road from Truro to Penryn at Perran-Arwothal, and leading to and over Tretheage Bridge; and also the present Turnpike Road leading from Truro aforesaid to the Second Mile Stone near Short Lane's End in the said Parish of Kenwyn; and also the present Turnpike Road leading from Short Lane's End aforesaid to Callestock Burrow, on the Cross Road leading from a Place called Marasanvose to a Place called Zelah in the Parish of Saint Allen ; and also the present Turnpike Road leading from a House formerly belonging to Thomasine Williams, and now occupied by Diana Crisp Widow, situate at the Western End of New East Bridge Street aforesaid, formerly called Coinage Hull Street, in Truro aforesaid, over the New East Bridge, being the Bridge erected in pursuance of the said first-recited Act over the Steppings aforesaid, and from thence to the Borough of Mitchell; and also the present Turnpike Road branching out of the last-mentioned Road at the Eastern End of New East Bridge Street aforesaid to and through Grampond aforesaid; and also the present Turnpike Road branching out of the said Road to and through Grampond, and leading to Mopas ; and also the said Bridge.

Select Committee on State of Roads 1840

John Tippet of Truro (clerk to the trust) reported

There are 56 miles 1 furl of road thru 16 parishes – all repaired by the trustees

32 toll gates

The roads are stated to be in “good” condition – no part under indictment for want of repair.

List of Roads

Redruth Road; A390 from Truro, through Chasewater to Redruth (about 9 miles)

St Agnes Road; From 3^rd milestone on Redruth Road as the B3277 to Three Burrows, across the A30 (not turnpiked here) to St Agnes Almshouses (about 5 miles)

Perran Alms Houses Road (*); from Two Burrows to Perran Alms Houses (Tresawsen) as the A30 over the open Heath (about 3 miles)

Penryn Road; A39 from Truro through Devoran to jct with A393 near Burnthouse (St Gluvias) (about 7 miles)

Shortlanesend Road; B3284 from Truro to Shortlanesend (about 2 miles)

Zelah Road; UC road from Shortlanesend to Zelah on the A30 (not turnpiked here) (about 2.5 miles)

Mitchell Road; From New East Bridge Street, Truro as UC road and then A39 (was A3076) to Carland Cross in Mitchell to join A30 (Wadebridge turnpike Road) (about 6 miles)

Grampound Road; From New East Bridge Street, Truro as B3284 eastwards and then A39o through Pobus (now by-passed) to Grampound (about 7 miles)

Malpas Road; UC road south from Truro to Malpas (about 2 miles)

Penhale Road;(*) B3275 (was A39) from Probus through Ladock to meet A30 (Bodmin turnpike road) at Penhale (about 7 miles)

Those marked (*) are not specified in later Acts

Also King Harry Passage Road, B3289 has Truro style milestones for 3 miles but not mentioned in Acts

And Perranporth Road B3284 has Truro style milestones for 7 miles after Shortlaneend but not mentioned in Acts

And St Stithians Road UC has Truro style milestones for 3 miles but not mentioned in Acts

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Known Tollhouses (extracts from Tollhouse National database) 23 known sites of the 32 reported by Trust

PT	OK	A39 (A3076)	Truro to Mitchell	SW	839	482	Bodrean	ST CLEMENT	replaced Buckshead
book	X	A39 (A3076)	Truro to Mitchell	SW	834	463	Buckshead	TRURO	Buckshead	replaced by Bodrean
PT	OK	UC (was A39)	Truro to Falmouth	SW	821	431	Calenick	TRURO
address search		UC (was A390)	Truro to Redruth	SW	75	442	Chacewater	ST DAY	Toll Cottage, Church Hill, Chacewater, Truro, Cornwall
PT	OK	A39	Truro to Penryn	SW	794	395	Devoran	FEOCK	The Old Tollhouse, No. 42	Devoran	up hill from Carnon bridge
EH		A39	Truro to Penryn	SW	791	394	Carnon Bridge	FEOCK		Devoran	close to crossing of Carnon river
PT	OK	A390	Truro to St Austell	SW	9326	4846	Grampound	GRAMPOUND WITH CREED	Toll House, Grampound, Truro, Cornwall
book	X	B3284	Truro to Perranporth	SW	821	452	Kenwyn	KENWYN	Kenwyn
book	X	A39	Truro to Penryn	SW	821	439	Plynt Barn	TRURO	Plynt Barn
book	X	A30	Mitchell to Redruth	SW	789	494	Perran Almshouses	PERRANZABULOE	Perran Almshouses
1828 Act		A393	Redruth to Penryn	SW	755	385	Pellean Bar	PERRANARWORTHAL	Pelean Cross, Ponsanooth
1828 Act		UC	Truro to Redruth	SW	820	447	Chapel Hill (Bosvigo)	TRURO	Truro to Redruth road
EH		A39	Truro to Penryn	SW	781	368	Stickenbridge	PERRANARWORTHAL	Toll House	now a garage
PT	OK	UC	Perranwell to Truro Road	SW	782	398	Perranwell	PERRANARWORTHAL
EH		A39	Truro to Penryn	SW	810	414	Playing Place (Carnon)	KEA	Skewberries Farmhouse		close to new roundabout
book	X	B3284	Truro to Perranporth	SW	808	477	Shortlanesend	KENWYN	Shortlanesend
address search				SW	71	515	St Agnes	ST AGNES	The Toll House, West Polberro, St. Agnes, Cornwall
book	X	A390	Truro to St Austell	SW	829	449	St Austell Street	TRURO	The Roundhouse, 37, St. Austell Street, Truro, Cornwall
PT	X	A39	Truro to Mitchell	SW	838	457	St Clements	ST CLEMENT		opp. Old Isolation Hospital	at jct with A3076
EH		B3257 (was A39)	Probus to Mitchell	SW	904	542	St Enoder	ST ENODER	Gate House	Toll Gate Cottage, Brighton, Grampound Road	Brighton, 3 miles north of Ladock
PT	OK	A39	Truro to Penryn	SW	770	367	St Gluvias	ST GLUVIAS	The Toll House, The Barns, Lower Treluswell,		in lay-by, 2 miles from Penryn
EH		UC (A3076)	Truro to Mitchell	SW	8315	4571	Mitchell Road (Trenerry)	ST CLEMENT	Toll House	Bodmin Road, Truro	at jct with Moresk Road
EH		A390	Truro to St Austell	SW	8681	4650	Tresillian	ST CLEMENT	The Toll House	by Tresillain River

Known Milestones

In the Milestone Society Database, 68 are identified on A39, A30, A390 B3284, and UC roads, –. (based on Trust mileage, expect 56 i.e. some side roads may have been included)