Moretonhampstead Turnpike Trust (updated 13th
Jan 2009)
This trust, created in
1772, cut a new road across the heart of Dartmoor, making a new connection
between the
J House of Commons - Reports
18 Feb 1772 Moretonhampstead Road
Petition of gents, clergy, freeholders and inhabitants of Moretonhampstead
That road from Exeter TP at Reedy Gate in Dunsford thru Moretonhampstead and Parish of Bridford, North Bovey, Chagford, Widecombe, Lydford and Forest of Dartmoor to Cherry Brook (15 miles) is so very narrow, deep, founderous, ruinous, in decay and incommodious that for the greater part of the year is impassable.
25 Feb 1772
Mr Duntze reported
To prove the allegations Mr Christopher Gullett said it is very narrow
28 Feb 1772
Petition of trustees of Okehampton TP – great
deal of money has been laid out these roads – road thru Moretonhampstead is
over wild uninhabited Forest where a road never was, it will affect private
property and landed interests on roads from
5 Mar 1772
Sir George Yong reported
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List of Acts
|
Moretonhampstead |
Dunsford Reedy
Gate to Cherry Brook |
12 Geo3 c93 |
1772 |
|
|
Moretonhampstead |
|
31 Geo3 c117 |
1791 |
|
|
Moretonhampstead |
|
53 Geo3 c3 |
1813 |
|
|
Moretonhampstead |
|
3&4 Wil4 c6 |
1833 |
|
|
Moretonhampstead |
Expired |
|
1864 |
1864 |
Dunsford to Cherry Brook 1813
An Act
for enlarging the Term and Powers of Two Acts of His present Majesty, for
repairing the Road from the Exeter Turnpike at Reedy Gate, in the Parish of
Dunsford, to Cherrybrook in the
Dunsford to Cherry Brook 1833
An Act for repairing the Road from Reedy Gate in the Parish of Dunsford, through Moretonhampstead, to Cherry Brook in the Forest of Dartmoore, in the County of Devon. [29th March 1833.]
Select Committee on State
of Roads 1840
Moses Woolland Harvey of Moretonhampstead (clerk to the trust) reported
There are 15 miles 4 furl 7 pl of road thru 6 parishes – no part of the
road is repaired by the trustees, the tolls not now realising sufficient to pay
the incidental expenses of the trust and interest on the debt; and consequently
is all repaired by the parishes through which the road runs.
4 toll gates
That part of the road which is situate in the parish of Lidford is in a
very bad state of repair, and against which an indictment is pending; all other
parts are “tolerably good”, but rather hilly.
The debt was honestly created; one part of it (£2000) was expended in
making a new road over Dartmoor Forest, towards Tavistock and Plymouth (and
near where the prisons of war were afterwards built) and where before no
regular road existed, and the remainder, which was borrowed in 1813 and 1814,
was employed partly in paying interest that had got into arrear on former deed
polls, obtaining an Act of Parliament, and cutting round several hills of some
miles in extent, that lay on the Exeter side of the town of Moretonhampstead,
and until when no wheeled vehicle could be used with any facility or dispatch,
if at all, but certainly not at all without great danger.
List of Roads
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