South Molton Turnpike Road                                                        (updated 24th Sept 2013)

This was created in 1759 as a town-centred trust covering a network of roads in northeast Devon to the south of Exmoor. There were no major routes covered by the trust; its main responsibilities were roads radiating from South Molton to smaller communities in NE Devon and linking the roads of other trusts such as Tiverton to Barnstaple. By an Act of 1839, the trust created a substantial mileage of new roads in the area towards Tiverton.

J House of Commons - Reports

Vol 28 ;; 1 Feb 1759 South Molton

Petition of the gentlemen, freeholders and inhabitants of South Molton

That roads from south Molton thru George Nympton, Mary Ansleigh, Romansleigh, Meshaw, East Worlington to Drayford Bridge in way to Exeter

And South Molton thru George Nympton, Kings Nympton, Chulmleigh and Chawleigh to Labbauds Cross in the Parish of Chawleigh in the way to Exeter

Also road from South Molton thru Bishops Nympton, Rose Ash, Knowstone, Creacomb and Rackenford to Crusley House in the way to Tiverton

And the road from South Molton thru Philleigh and Swimbridge to Kerscott Hill in the way to Barnstaple

And the road from South Molton thru Chittlehampton to Umbersleighford in the Parish of Chittlehampton in the way to Torrington

Are very narrow and incommodious, very step and dangerous to travellers and almost impassable for carriages. Need to avoid some precipices and make ascents more gradual and easy

 

13 Feb 1759

Sir William Courtenay reported

To prove the allegations Thomas Peake, Edward Elstone, Isaac Hopkins and Arthur Short said the roads are narrow, hilly and incommodious.

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

14th Dec 1778

Sir George Yonge reported

To prove the Allegations, George Sharland said considerable progress had been made in amending the roads and £3,650 had been borrowed, which cannot be paid off unless Powers continued.

 

List of Acts

South Molton

 

32 Geo2 c45

1759

 

South Molton

 

19 Geo 3

1779

 

South Molton

 

42 Geo3 c1

1801

 

South Molton

 

54 Geo3 c21

1814

 

South Molton

New Cuts of road

2&3 Vic c49

1839

 

South Molton

Expired

 

1882 

1882 

 

 

South Molton 1801

An Act for continuing the Term and enlarging the Powers of Two Acts, passed in the Thirty-second Year of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Second, and the Nineteenth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, for repairing, widening, and rendering safe and commodious, several Roads leading from the Town of South Molton, in the County of Devon. [11th December 1801.]

 

Select Committee on State of Roads 1840

John Gilberd Pearse of South Molton (clerk to the trust) reported

There are 22 miles 1 furl 8pl of road thru 2 parishes (new cuts allowed by recent Act)– all repaired by the trustees

7 toll gates and one side bar

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

 

List of Roads

Drayford Bridge (Old Exeter) Road; UC road as Old Alswear Road from South Molton to Alswear, joining the B3137 to Meshaw to branch SW on UC road over Meshaw Moor to Drayford Bridge in East Worlington, joining the Exeter Turnpike Road (about 9 miles)

Chawleigh Road; UC road as George Nympton Road south from South Molton thru George Nympton, Kings Nympton to Chulmleigh and as B3096 to Labbatts Cross in the Parish of Chawleigh, joining the Exeter Turnpike Road (about 9 miles)

Tiverton Road; As B3227 eastwards from South Molton then branching SE on UC road (was B3221), parallel to A361,thru Bishops Nympton, Rose Ash, Knowstone, to bridge over Sturcombe River at Creacombe (Crusley House) to join the Tiverton Turnpike (about 8 miles)

Barnstaple Road; UC road NW from Kingsland Barton, west of South Molton thru Filleigh and Swimbridge to Kerscott Hill, joining the Barnstaple Turnpike Road (about 4 miles)

Torrington Road; As B3227 westwards from South Molton, just south of Chittlehampton to Umbersleigh Bridge, joining the Great Torrington Turnpike Road (about 7 miles)

 

NEW CUTS in 1839 Act

Witheridge Road; As B3137 in Meshaw, branching off Old road to cross the River Little Dart at New Bridge, West Yeo, on to Witheridge and on to Noman’s Land to join the new branch of the Tiverton Turnpike Road (about 8 miles) (built about 1844)

Presumed Meethe Bridge Road; As B3226 SW from South Molton, joining branch of the Barnstaple Turnpike Road, (about 3 miles) (built about 1844)

Presumed Coombe Martin Road; A399, northwards from South Molton, through Brayford to Bratton Fleming, to join Coombe Martin Turnpike Road (about 10 miles) (built about 1840?)

 

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Known Toll Gates (extracts from Tollhouse National database) 27 identified of the 7 reported by the trust in 1840 ( 10 surviving tollhouses - underlined)

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

erected by (Turnpike Trust or Authority)

Bibliographic refs

B3096

Chawleigh to Chulmleigh

Moortown

SS

69938

13117

DVMD

CHAWLEIGH

Turnpike Cottage (Little Shanty)

Moortown

where road narrows opp. Moortown Cottage

; Greenwood Devon (1827); ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.45; census 1871

B3227 (was A361)

Moulton to Tiverton

Mill Lane (Bishops Nympton)

SS

7236

2577

DVND

BISHOPS NYMPTON

Flower Cottage

Mole Bridge

E of bridge beside mobile home park

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.69; 1871 census

B3227 (was A361)

Moulton to Tiverton

Tiverton (Bailey Head)

SS

730

257

DVND

BISHOPS NYMPTON

at Tiverton Road jct

 

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.68; 1871 census

Monkham Down

SS

665

363

DVND

BRATTON FLEMING

Monkham Down, High Bray

 

 

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.62

A399

South Molton to Barnstable

Newtown Bridge

SS

6931

3249

DVND

BRAYFORD

Toll House

Brayford

at jct with Mill Lane where UC road crosses narrow bridge

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.62; 1861 census

B3096

Chawleigh to Chulmleigh

Chulmleigh Bridge

SS

691

137

DVND

CHAWLEIGH

Savourys

Chawleigh Hill

beside bridge on south bank

OS 1st Series; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.46

B3227

Umberleigh to South Molton

Taw (Dorridge)

SS

6141

2430

DVND

CHITTLEHAMPTON

The Old Tollgate

Dorridge Gate, Umberleigh

top of hill past the School at jct with old lane

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.64; 1871 census

B3226

South Molton to King's Nympton

Meethe

SS

67502

22969

DVND

CHITTLEHAMPTON

Meethe Gate

Meethe

at crossroads down to riverside and Georgenympton

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.65

B3226

South Molton to King's Nympton

Clappery Mill

SS

6733

2394

DVND

CHITTLEHAMPTON

Clapworthy, Halswell Cross

 

 

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.66

UC road

Chulmleigh to Kings Nypton

Langley Lane (Toll Head)

SS

68832

14861

DVND

CHULMLEIGH

Langley Cottage

Langley Lane jct with old turnpike to Hillhead

beside road

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.67; 1861 census

UC road

Chulmleigh to Hill Head

Toll Bar Cross

SS

683

168

DVND

CHULMLEIGH

Toll Bar Cross

no evidence of toll house

 

; ; ;

South Molton

 

 

Cottage Moor

SS

761

185

DVND

MESHAW

at the fork

 

 

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.72; 1871 census

UC road (was B3221)

Tiverton to South Molton

Meshaw

SS

758

196

DVND

MESHAW

crossroads in village

 

 

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.71; 1871 census

UC road (was B3221)

Tiverton to South Molton

Rackenford

SS

83731

19622

DVND

RACKENFORD

The Toll House

Backstone Cross, Titham Hill

beside Two Moors Way

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824; old Picture

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.70; 1871 census

UC road (was B3221)

Tiverton to South Molton

Underhill

SS

746

203

DVND

ROMANSLEIGH

 

 

 

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.70; 1861 census

UC road

South Molton to Kings Nympton

Chawleigh

SS

7131

2543

DVND

SOUTH MOLTON

The Old Tollhouse, RAOB,

Cooks Cross

in aside road parallel to South Street

; Greenwood Devon (1827); Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.66; 1841 census

B3226

South Molton to Barnstaple

North Road (Barnstaple)

SS

71150

26497

DVND

SOUTH MOLTON

Vicarage Lodge

North Road, Pathfields

at jct with Hacche Lane, beside Mayor Moor Memorial Park

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824; postcard

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.63

B3137

South Molton to Exeter

New Road

SS

71708

25552

DVND

SOUTH MOLTON

No. 11, The Tollhouse

New Road

at jct with Mill Street and Poltimore Road

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.68; 1871 census

B3226

South Molton to Barnstable

Aller Cross

SS

700

281

DVND

SOUTH MOLTON

Swallowford turn

 

 

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.63; 1861 census

B3227

South Molton to Torrington

Nadder Lane

SS

699

257

DVND

SOUTH MOLTON

Kingsland Cross

 

 

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.64; 1861 census

 

Tower

SS

7

3

DVND

SOUTH MOLTON

 

 

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

South Molton

 

 

Exeter

SS

713

254

DVND

SOUTH MOLTON

at Exeter gate corner

 

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

South Molton

 

B3226

South Molton to Barnstaple

Swimbridge

SS

636

293

DVND

SWIMBRIDGE

top of Kerscott Hill

 

 

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.65; 1841 census

B3137

South Molton to Witheridge

Witheridge Town

SS

8025

1463

DVND

WITHERIDGE

front wall (parts) nr gates of churchyard

Church Street

opp. Old Market Field Agricultural Depot

; ; web page; web picture

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.72

 

Chapner Cross

SS

808

138

DVND

WITHERIDGE

 

 

 

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.74; 1861 census

UC road

Chawleigh to Witheridge

Thornham (Cannington)

SS

777

149

DVND

WITHERIDGE

by Thornham chapel, nr East Worlington

 

 

; ; ;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.73; 1861 census

UC road

Chawleigh to Witheridge

Worlington

SS

781

138

DVND

WITHERIDGE

nr Drayford Bridge

 

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

South Molton

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2010), "The Toll-houses of North Devon", p.71

 

Known Milestones

In the Milestone Society Database, 1 milestones are identified on the B3226 and B3227 and UC; all in a design known as Molton Plate. Based on Trust mileage, would expect 42.

Mentions in Exeter Flying Post

 (excluding notices of meetings and letting of tolls)

Joseph Palmer, treasurer died; meeting to elect replacement

09-Apr

1795

proposals re repair of roads

20-Aug

1801

surveyor required

18-Mar

1819

new turnpike to Wiveliscombe opened

27-Sep

1827