Plymouth and Tavistock Turnpike Road (updated 24^th Sept 2013)

This trust was created in 1804 to take responsibility for a road previously in the care of the Tavistock Trust (created in 1762). This main road had been a burden on the Tavistock Trust and the separation allowed improvements and rebuilding of parts of the Plymouth Road, including Bedford Bridge without putting unfair liabilities on the other roads.

J House of Commons - Reports

10 Dec 1761 Tavistock

Pet of gentlemen, clergy, freeholders and other in and near Tavistock and near Plymouth, Plymouth Dock, Okehampton, Callington, Liskeard and Launceston

That road from Market Place in Tavistock across church yard to lower Abbey gate over River Tavy, thru St John’s Lane by Ash Farm House and Sortridge Gate to North end of Horra Bridge

And from South end of bridge by places called Rock Jump, Knocker’s Hole and Manadon Gate to Old Town Gate in Plymouth

And from Manadon Gate to Old Pound near Plymouth Dock

And from Tavistock to Lumborn Bridge

And Galworthy to East end of New Bridge in Parish of Tavistock in road to Callington & Liskeard

And road from Tavistock thru Milemead Lane, Lamerton Green, Tooldown, Milton Abbot, Church Town and Feldown Head to East of Greston Bridge in Parish of Dunterton, in road to Launceston,

And road from Tavistock by Wringworthy Lane Head and Beardon to Downton Gate in Parish of Lydford

And road from Tavistock by Hardwick and over Heathfield Down to a Public House called Riccard’s House, in Parish of Lamerton

Are very ruinous and dangerous for travellers and in many places carriages cannot pass without great difficulty

And that the Streets of Tavistock leading to East Bridge across River Tavy in road to Plymouth are very narrow and inconvenient and carriages frequently overturned, at great peril and danger to travellers and although taking down old bridge and building a new at Abbey Gate will be a great public convenience, it cannot be done without aid cannot be done without aid of Parliament

14 Dec 1761

Mr Rigby reported

To prove Mr Richard Turner said roads are ruinous

Mr Abraham Pike confirmed

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Vol 33 12 Geo III

18 Feb 1772

Pet of gentlemen, clergy, freeholders and principal inhabitants of Borough of Tavistock and of trustees of Act of 2 Geo III

They have proceeded and executed Act borrowed and expending a considerable sum of money but cannot sufficiently be repaired without continuation and enlargement

The road thru Matthew Street and Brook Street over river Tavy, by Tavyton and over Little Down and by Merreville Bridge and Two Bridges to CherryBrook in the Forest of Dartmoor in rd from Exeter to Tavistock thru Moreton Hampstead

And road from two bridges to Dunnabridge Pound in road from Tavistock to Ashburton

And road branching from the Callington TP leading thru Morwellham Lane over Morwell Down to certain Quays on the River Tamar are in some places very narrow.

25 Feb 1772

Mr Rigby rpt

To prove Mr Christopher Gullett said have borrowed and roads are ruinous

6 mar 1772

Petition of aldermen and Common council of Bodmin and others and trustees of Bodmin TP (9 Geo III) and mortgagees of tolls – note this and another act for Exeter to Dunsford

Cherry Brook is 15 miles from Tavistock Note there are 3 Great TPS completed and in good repair thru Devon to Cornwall – trustees of middle road thru Bodmin have borrowed £5000 and have 23 miles of branches that are still ruinous – a road thru Two Bridges will reduce income – it will affect creditors and value of land beside TP

No public road was ever known over that part of Dartmoor Forest and is not of benefit to public

20 Mar 1772

Pet of gentlemen, clergy, freeholders and principal inhabitants of Dunheved otherwise Launceston and Newport trustees of Act of 33 Geo II, and mortgagees and also burgesses of Boffinney and Trevena in Tintagel

There are already 3 Great Turnpikes, Moretonhampstead is a small and inconsiderable place, The Forest of Dartmoor is very hilly wild and uninhabited – all three roads West from Exeter will be affected

23 Mar1772 Pet of Mayor, Burgesses assistants and inhabitants Okehampton and trustees of Act of 1760 and mortgagees noting also the Dunsford Act

There is at present a great TP to Okehampton and Lydford and to Coombe Bow Bridge –they have borrowed £5000. The income is barely paying the interest

Greater part of intended road is wild, bleak, mountainous and uninhabited and impassable for months in a year –will not be of public utility to build

List of Acts

Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)		44 Geo3 c16	1804
Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)		53 Geo3 c26	1813
Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)		10&11 Vic c47	1847
Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)	Expired		1884	1884

Tavistock to Plymouth 1804

An Act for the better amending and repairing of the Roads leading from the Lower Market House in Tavistock, to Old Town Gate, in the Borough of Plymouth, and from Manadon Gate to the Old Pound near Plymouth Dock, in the County of Devon. [3d May 1804.]

Tavistock to Plymouth 1813

An Act for altering and enlarging the Term and Powers of an Act, of the Forty-fourth Year of His present Majesty, for repairing the Roads leading from Tavistock to Old Town Gate, in the Borough of Plymouth, and from Manadon Gate to the Old Pound near Plymouth Dock, in the County of Devon. [1st April 1813.]

Select Committee on State of Roads 1840

Henry Woollcombe of Plymouth (clerk to the trust) reported

There are 16 miles of road thru 10 parishes – all repaired by the trustees

6 toll gates and 3 side bars

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

List of Roads

Tavistock Road; B3250 from Old Pound, Plymouth, N to Manadon, then A386 through Horrabridge, over Bedford Bridge, on west bank of River Tavy to Lower Market House, Tavistock. (about 15 miles)

Tamerton Road; B3373 from Crownhill to Tamerton Foliot. (about 4 miles)

Docks Road; A386 from Manadon to Milehouse and then B3396 to Devonport. (about 4 miles)

Click here for a map of Devon Turnpike Roads

Click here for a map of Plymouth Turnpike Roads

Click here to return to Turnpikes Home

Return to Turnpikes in Devon general page

Known Toll Gates (extracts from Tollhouse National database) 14 sites identified of the 6 gates and 3 bars reported by the trust in 1840 (three tollhouse survives - 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

A379

Plymouth to Modbury

Charles

489

544

DVPL

PLYMOUTH

Jubilee Street, (now Cattedown roundabout)

; ; ;

Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p42

A386

Tavistock to Plymouth

Knackersnowle

485

586

DVPL

PLYMOUTH

Crownhill, jct with B3413

; Greenwood Devon (1827); ;

Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p40; 1871 census

A386

Tavistock to Plymouth

Lewis Jones's

484

555

DVPL

PLYMOUTH

Mutley Plain, jct with Greenbank

; Greenwood Devon (1827); ;

Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p46

A386

Tavistock to Plymouth

Linkitty (Manadon)

484

575

DVPL

PLYMOUTH

Pennycross

jct of Mannamead Road and Linkitty Lane

; ; ;

Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p40; 1871 census

A3064

Stonehouse to Saltash

Milehouse

468

562

DVPL

PLYMOUTH

Milehouse Road, jct with Alma Road

OS 1st Series; Greenwood Devon (1827); ;

Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p42

B3396

Devonport to Tavistock

Stoke

462

558

DVPL

PLYMOUTH

Milehouse Road, jct with Molesworth Road

Stoke village

; ; ;

Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)

A386

Tavistock to Plymouth

Jump

504

621

DVSH

BICKLEIGH

Jump Close, Roborough

; ; ;

Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)

A386

Tavistock to Plymouth

Roborough Down (Yelverton Road)

519

678

DVWD

BUCKLAND MONACHORUM

near the station and Roborough Inn

Sheldon saw it in 1933

; ; ;

Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p41

A386

Tavistock to Plymouth

Horrabridge Bars

5113

6902

DVWD

HORRABRIDGE

Toll House

Tavistock Road

at jct to Buckland and old station

; ; ;

Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p37; 1861 census

A386

Tavistock to Plymouth

Horrabridge

5119

6953

DVWD

HORRABRIDGE

Toll Booth

Tavistock Road

at jct with Graybridge Road and Station Road

; ; ;

Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p39

B3373

Tavistock to Plymouth

Looseleigh

480

602

DVWD

TAMERTON FOLIAT

jct of Looseleigh Lane and Tamarton Folliat Road

TJ Census return

; ; ;

Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p40; 1871 census

A386

Tavistock to Plymouth

West Bridge (Pixton)

4772

7373

DVWD

TAVISTOCK

The Old Toll House (Pixon Cottage)

Pixon Lane (West Bridge Industrial Estate)

jct with Plymouth Road

OS 1st Series; ; ; old Picture

Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p38

A386

Tavistock to Plymouth

Bedford Bridge

505

703

DVWD

TAVISTOCK

New road in 1822 (was through Whitchurch before)

; ; ;

Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon",

A386

Tavistock to Plymouth

Grenofen

494

716

DVWD

WHITCHURCH

Grenofen Cross

; ; ;

Plymouth and Tavistock (New Road)

Jenkinson T. & Taylor P. (2009), "The Toll-houses of South Devon", p41; 1871 census

Known Milestones

In the Milestone Society Database, 2 milestones are identified on the A386, –in a design known as Tavistock stone. Based on Trust mileage, would expect 16.

Mentions in Exeter Flying Post

(excluding notices of meetings and letting of tolls) asTavistock

notice of meeting to contract for making Merrivale to Chenybrook section of road and bridge over River Tavy	08-May	1772
tenders for new bridge over River Tavy	29-May	1772
notice of re erection of gate at Pixen (or Piscay Lane on west side of road from Tavistock to Whitchurch)	23-Oct	1794
notice of re repairs to road	18-Jan	1798
notice of re appointing surveyor	01-Feb	1798
Lett Gates (Tavistock to Plymouth Dock -extra payment if encampmements)	20-Sep	1798
Special meeting (Market House Tavistock, over Horrabridge, by Manadon Gate to Old Town Gate Plymouth ; and Manadon to the Old Pound, Plymouth Dock)	13-Jun	1799
Lett Gates (Tavistock to Plymouth Dock -extra if encampmements)	03-Oct	1799
contractor wanted for repair work	12-Oct	1809
erecting tollhouse	10-May	1810
applying to increase tolls	10-Sep	1812
meeting re new road	10-Apr	1818

As Plymouth & Tavistock

opened new road on Roborough Down	13-Jun	1822
bridge over River Walkham named Bedford Bridge	20-Jun	1822

Plymouth and Tavistock Turnpike Road (updated 24th Sept 2013)

J House of Commons - Reports

List of Acts

Select Committee on State of Roads 1840

List of Roads

Known Toll Gates (extracts from Tollhouse National database) 14 sites identified of the 6 gates and 3 bars reported by the trust in 1840 (three tollhouse survives - underlined)

Known Milestones

Mentions in Exeter Flying Post

Plymouth and Tavistock Turnpike Road (updated 24^th Sept 2013)