Highways: Turnpike Trusts

Turnpike trusts emerged in the seventeenth century, usually by private Acts of Parliament. In this way a defined stretch of road would be maintained by the trust in return for a toll.  After 1871 they began to be "disturnpiked", and handed over to highway boards and parishes. County Councils took over main roads after 1888, urban and rural districts the rest from 1894. The turnpike trust records form part of the Quarter Sessions collections.