| Description | A turnpike road was a public highway where toll bars were erected and where tolls had to be paid for every animal and vehicle pasing through. The tolls paid for maintaining the road. The turnpike roads were vested in trustees by acts of Parliament. They were attended to by the clerks and the surveyors. The Ashford to Buxton turnpike road was made possible by a loan from the Duke of Devonshire. Tollgates were erected at Miln House Dale and along the path leading to Wornhill in October 1815.
In July 1848 a special meeting was held to consider the Trust's position on the construction of a branch railway from Baslow to Bakewell proposed by the Manchester Buxton and Midlands Railway Company. The trustees considered this move the be an improvement as the railway would increase the level of traffic.
At a special meeting in May 1863, the six trustees including His Grace the Duke of Devonshire voted by five to one in favour of uniting the three Turnpike Trusts. The amalgamation of the Union of the Ashford & Buxton, the Tideswell & Blackwell, and the Edensor & Ashford Turnpike Trusts took place on 1 January 1864.
Each appointed trustee first had to swear an oath that he, or his wife, possessed property of a clear yearly value of £50, or be possessed of, or entitled to, an estate valued at £1000, or heir apparent of lands of a clear annual value of £100. No persons who kept any victualling-house, alehouse, or other house of public entertainment was eligible.
The trustees had the power to charge double tolls on a Sunday, and could, from time to time, reduce all or any of the tolls. one payment would cover the free passage of the same horse, cattle or carriage for the remainder of the day. A penalty not exceeding £5 could be imposed on anyone evading tolls by passing through lands lying near any tollgate. If any person refused to pay the toll, the Collector could seize the person's animal or their goods. in the event of the toll not being paid within four days the horse, cattle or other property could be sold. Any surplus was rendered to the owner. No tolls were taken for any vehicle containing materials for repairing the roads; or any vehicle conveying any hay, straw, or corn which was to be laid up in the houses, out-houses, barns, yards, or closes of the owner. Vehicles collecting or returning any implements of husbandry in the parish in which the tollgate lay, were also exempt. There were also exceptions when attending an election, going to and from Church or Chapel, attending a funeral, for a clergyman, for carrying corn to or from the nearest mill, conveying or guarding mails, for horses and other animals going to or returning from pasture or watering place, officers or soldiers with their arms and baggage, or for any horse, cart, or waggon travelling with vagrants sent by legal passes.
The roads 'disturnpiked' after 1870 were declared to be main roads and the cost and management was transferred to the county council. For example, the first part of the Ashford to Buxton road is now the A6. |