Wedmore Turnpike Trust (updated
18th Feb 2009)
This trust was created
in 1827 to link the two Great Western roads through
List of Acts
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Wedmore |
Ashcott to
Rowberrow Hill |
7&8 Geo4 c5 |
1827 |
1848 |
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1852 |
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Expired |
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1874 |
Wedmore 1827
An Act for making and
maintaining a Road from Chappel's Corner in the Parish of Ashcott, to join the Bristol
Turnpike Road at or near Rowberrow Hill, all in the County of Somerset. [21st
March 1827.]
Select Committee on State
of Roads 1840
Robert Tucker of Ashcott (clerk to the trust) reported
There are 15 and a quarter miles of road through 7 parishes – all
repaired by the parishes (not the trustees)
4 toll gates
The roads are stated to be in “good” repair – no part under indictment
for want of repair.
In “Return of length of road in each Turnpike
Trust in
Trust reported 15
miles 3 furl. 60 yds (similar to 1840)
Report to Secretary of State 1852
BPP
(1852) No. 38.—
The
original Act for making this road (the 7th and 8th of George IV. cap. 5.) was
passed in the year 1827, in order to " connect the two great western roads
" passing through Somerton and Langport, and
The
accounts and parliamentary returns from this Trust have not been transmitted
with regularity; but, as far as can be ascertained, the existing bonded debt
amounts to £5,311., of which sum about £3,986. was advanced in the year 1829,
£1,300. in the year 1834., and £25. in the year 1840. From an account
transmitted by the late clerk in December last, it appears that the original
subscriptions amounted to £4,011., which remained due to thirty-five subscribers;
and the preference subscriptions amounted to £1,300., duo to five subscribers.
The late clerk states that there was an arrear of interest due to the first
subscribers on the 3lst of December 1850, amounting to the sum of £2,650.,
which was caused by the low tolls taken, and great exemptions granted ; for
want of funds (till the preference loan) to complete the road, and erect toll
bars and houses, until some years had expired ; by the expense of repairing the
toll houses and bars destroyed by a riotous mob, and the unsuccessful result of
an action by the Trustees against the inhabitants of the hundred for damages;
and by the Trustees defending .in action of ejectment brought against
them." He also states that the second or preference shareholders had
received their interest in full, at 5 per cent., up to the 3lst of December
1850.
The tolls
of this Trust were seized by a mortgagee in August 1849, upon which subject one
of the acting Trustees communicated in November last the following
particulars:—
" In
the first place, Mr. R. Tucker is not, and has not been for some time, clerk to
the Trustees of that Trust. That gentleman resigned his office some time back,
in consequence of the Trustees having discovered that the accounts were in an
unsatisfactory state, inasmuch as they represented payments to have been made
to certain creditors, which had not been made. The Trustees, having accepted
the resignation of their clerk, lost all summary power over him. Mr. Tucker,
after his resignation, being the holder of certain deeds poll of the Trust,
brought an action of ejectment against the Trustees, and obtained possession of
the gates, the rents of which he now receives as mortgagee in possession. I
find that he has now given notice of his intention to apply to Parliament for a
new Act relative to the Wedmore Trust. Mr. Alien, the new clerk, has also given
a similar notice. The expenses of these two applications to Parliament will of
course be charged against the Trust, and this circumstance alone will, I trust,
induce the Government to take immediate steps to prevent such a waste of
funds."
On applying
to the new clerk for the annual accounts, the following note was received in
reply:—
"
Burnham, Somersetshire, 6th August 1850.
" Mr.
B. T. Allen presents his compliments to Sir James McAdam, and begs to say that
he was only elected clerk to the Wedmore Turnpike Trust in July 1848, when he
found the accounts of the Trust in almost inexplicable confusion, and that in
August 1849 Mr. Robert Tucker (the late clerk) recovered possession of the
tolls as mortgagee in an action of ejectment."
In answer
to a further application Mr. Allen stated, in a letter dated the 13th of
November 1850, that " the Trustees have discontinued holding any meetings
for some months past. The tolls having been seized in August 1849, a complete
account for that year could not be obtained for presentation to Parliament; and
up to the present time no account has been furnished by the present clerk or
the mortgagee in possession, showing in what manner the balance of £44. 15s.
10d., in the treasurer's hands on the 3lst of December 1847, has been
appropriated. In addition to the foregoing observations, it may throw some
light upon the affairs of this Trust by giving a copy of the mortgagee's
account up to the 3lst of December 1850 ; also a copy of a statement for part
of the year 1849, furnished by the present clerk a few days since.
The
accounts show that the whole toll income has been upon an average about equal
to the annual interest at the rate of 5 per cent. The funds have been applied
in paying the salaries (£20. per annum), portions of the interest, and
occasionally improvements and law charges, leaving the parishes to repair the
roads. Of late years the law charges (some portions of which probably remain
unpaid) have been considerable. The arrears of interest clue on the 3lst of
December 1850 appear to be due upon the first subscriptions, amounting to
£4,011., upon which portions of the annual interest have been paid as far as
the funds would allow.
Although
the former and the present clerks gave the usual notices of application to
Parliament for renewal of the Local Act, they both omitted to present a
petition and lodge a copy of the proposed Bill at the period required by the
standing orders. But the House of Commons, upon petition, have since agreed to
suspend certain of the standing orders, in order that the Bill might be
proceeded with this session. The Trustees appear as the promoters of the
present Bill, through their solicitor, the present clerk; but no copies of the
resolutions of the Trustees on the subject of the renewal have been forwarded
to the Secretary of .State, agreeably to the Act of the 3rd and 4th of Will.
IV. cap. 80. section 7-
In the
present application it is proposed to repeal the existing Act, and to take more
effectual powers in lien thereof, for the term of twenty-one years. The first
meeting of the Trustees is fixed by clause 6. By clause 9 the present tolls are
to continue until the first day of January 1853, from which date increased
tolls are to be allowed as specified in clause 10; being for every horse,
&c. drawing any kind of carriage sixpence instead of 4.5d.; for every
horse, &c. not drawing, twopence instead of 1.5d.; for every score of oxen,
&c. ls 8d. instead of 10d. ; and for every score of sheep, &c. l0d.
instead of 5d. An additional toll of 1d. is proposed for every dog or goat
drawing any truck or other carriage. By clause 12, two full tolls are allowed
as at present; and by clause 13, persons are allowed to return free of toll on
the same day, without specifying the number of times. Clause 14 makes the tolls
again payable on every change of carriage. Clause 17 continues the exemptions
contained in section 20 of the present Act.
Clause 19
requires the mortgagee in possession to deliver up the toll-gates, houses,
&c. to the Trustees on or before the third Monday after the passing of the
Act; and clause 20 requires the mortgagee to account to the Trustees at the
same period, and to pay over the balance in hand within one calendar month
after the passing of the Act. In case of dispute between the Trustees and the
mortgagee, the accounts (by clause 21) are proposed to be referred to the clerk
of the peace for the county of .Somerset, whose decision is to be final. And in
case the mortgagee in possession should not render a satisfactory account, nor
pay over the balance, nor abide by and fulfil the decision of the arbitrator,
it is provided in clause 22 that no interest shall be paid to the said
mortgagee; which appears to be an unusual course; but it is not proposed that
in such case the bond and all interest due thereon should become forfeited.
Clause 23 is to prevent the toll-gates, &c. from being again seined by a
mortgagee.
List of Roads
road identified and mapped in
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