Crewkerne Turnpike Trust                    (updated 23rd Sept 2013)

The main post road through Crewkerne was included in the 1753 Act, turnpiking the road from Lower Compton, to the east of Sherborne, through Chard to Axminster. The Somerset part of the road was administered as a Division of the Trust and became the Chard Trust in 1778, and the main roads through Crewkerne was transferred from the Chard trust in 1825. The Crewkerne Trust itself was created in 1765 to administer roads into the town. Its main responsibilities were (a) a section of the Post Road between Yeovil and Chard (b) a network of roads radiating from the market town into South Somerset to the Devon border.

List of Acts

Sherborne Road

Created as part of Sherborne to Axminster road (in the Chard Division)

26 Geo2 c60

1753

 

Crewkerne

Created as a trust

5 Geo3 c61

1765

 

 

 

26 Geo3

1786

 

 

 

45 Geo3

1805

 

 

Road to Merriott added

6 Geo4 c159

1825

1846

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expired

 

 

1879

Crewkerne 1805

An Act for repairing several Roads leading to and from the Town of Crewkerne, in the County of Somerset. [1st March 1805.]

Crewkerne 1825

An Act for repairing several Roads leading to and from the Town of Crewkerne in the County of Somerset, and other Roads in the same County. [10th June 1825.]

 

Select Committee on State of Roads 1840

Isaac Sparks and Edward Murly of Crewkerne (clerks to the trust) reported

There are 27 miles 6 furl. of road through 9 parishes – all repaired by the trustees

3 toll gates and 2 side bar

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

 

In “Return of length of road in each Turnpike Trust in England & Wales” Parl. Papers 1847-48 – (dated May 1848)

Trust reported 27 miles 6 furl. 170 yds (similar to 1840)

List of Roads

(roads identified and mapped in “Somerset Roads – the Legacy of Turnpike, by Bentley and Murless 1985”)

A30 from Lady’s Down to Haselbury Bridge nr Dorset boundary

A356 from Lopen Head to Dorset boundary

B3165 sections leading to Lyme Regis and Devon boundary

A3066 Grey Abbey Bridge to Dorset Boundary

 

Click here for a map of Somerset Turnpike Roads

Click here to return to Turnpikes Home

 

Return to Turnpikes in Somerset general page

 

Known Tollhouses (extracts from Tollhouse National database) 8 sites identified of the 3 reported (and 2 sides) by the Trust in 1840

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

erected by (Turnpike Trust or Authority)

Revised 23rd Sept 2013

B3165

Crewkerne to Lyme

Axe Lane

ST

42

08

SOSS

CREWKERNE

Clapton Bridge  (Axe Lane)

 

 

; ; ;

Crewkerne

A30

Yeovil to Sherborne

Bow Bridge

ST

7445

2127

SOSS

HENSTRIDGE

Bow Bridge Cottage Toll House

Lower Marsh

at jct

OS 1st Series; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Crewkerne

B3165

Crewkerne to Lyme Regis

Clapton (Hewish)

ST

4198

0770

SOSS

CREWKERNE

The Old Toll House

Clapton Gate, Clapton Road

at jct with Staker's Cross Lane

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Crewkerne

A356

Crewkerne to Martock

Hut & Bow (Eight Acres Hill)

ST

457

134

SOSS

MERRIOTT

Hut Gate and Bow Gate

Boozer Pit Lane jct Eight Acres Hill

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Crewkerne

UC road

Lopen to Haselbury

Merriott's Ford

ST

442

122

SOSS

MERRIOTT

 

Merriotts Ford

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Crewkerne

A356

Crewkerne to South Perrott

Misterton

ST

4610

0791

SOSS

MISTERTON

Misterton, Turnpike Cross

SE of the village is a second crossroads where a turnpike gate and toll house were sited by 1770 and was still standing in 1903.

OS 1st Series; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Crewkerne

A356

Crewkerne to Martock

Norton Cross

ST

46378

15940

SOSS

NORTON SUB HAMDON

Turnpike Cottage

Turnpike Cross, Main Martock Road

at cross roads west of village

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Crewkerne

B3165

Crewkerne to Hinton

Shutteroaks Bridge

ST

43

11

SOSS

WEST CREWKERNE

Hinton Road, nr Shutteroaks House, bridge is to South

 

; ; Turnpike Trust Returns 1824;

Crewkerne

 

Known Milestones

In the Milestone Society Database, 3 milestones are identified along this road, mostly on the A356 and B3165, most in a designs referred to as Crewkerne Plate. Based on the mileage reported by the Trust in 1840, would expect 28.