The Rotherham - Pleasley (Mansfield) Turnpike Road

Turnpike Road

In 1706 Parliament created the first Turnpike Trust, allowing toll charges for using a road. Turnpikes were seen as successful and by the later part of the 1700s they became extremely popular.

Turnpike roads were introduced as a means of raising funds, allowing local people to collect from anybody, and everything who used the road. e.g. All travellers, cattle, coaches, and carts etc. The money was used to maintain and considerably improve the road surface, which significantly reduced travelling times.

 

One of these Turnpike Trusts, created by an Act of Parliament in 1764, was part of the London to Richmond ancient highway between Rotherham and Pleasley, and the Toll for this road was;

Not all everyone had to pay Tolls (depending on individual Acts) for example Mail Coaches were exempt; along with Royal Family, Soldiers in uniform, Parsons on parish duty, Funeral processions, and prison carts.

Why to Pleasley and not Mansfield when the 1st Mile Marker clearly shows the distances between College Square, Rotherham and Town Hall, Mansfield? The answer is that the road between Mansfield and Pleasley already existed as part of the Turnpike Road from Mansfield to Chesterfield created previously in 1758-59.

The Rotherham to Pleasley followed the route of one of the ancient highways to the north as we follow its route from Pleasley, via New Houghton, Clowne, Wales, Aughton, and Whiston into Rotherham.

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The evidence still exits of the Turnpike era on the Yorkshire side of the Route with a number the original mileage markers surviving at the roadside. (Why do no mileage markers exist in Nottinghamshire?).

 

Exiting street names also provide purpose of the route.

RotherhamMoorgate(Mansfield Road links Moorgate to Westgate which leads to the town centre)
WhistonPleasley Road
Aston-cum-AughtonPleasley Road & Mansfield Road
WalesMansfield Road
ClowneRotherham Road & North Road(is North Road related to the original ancient highway to the north)
HoughtonRotherham Road

 

This Highway and Turnpike Roads would have been a busy time for the many Coaching Inns of Mansfield, such as the Swan & Eclipse.

In many areas Toll Houses still survive, but non exist as far as I am aware for the Pleasley – Rotherham Road. Mansfield also had connections to other Turnpike Roads is there any information on these?

 

Other Local Turnpike Roads

Mansfield to;

1758~1878Chesterfield
1763~1876AlfretonHuthwaite; Sutton-in-Ashfield
1763~1875DerbyEastwood; Nuthall
1764~1874RotherhamThis Turnpike began at Pleasley as the Mansfield to Chesterfield Turnpike via Pleasly already exited
1765~1880Kelstedge(From Little Robins nr Mansfield)
1787~1877Nottingham
1822~1877Worksop
Tibshelf
1st Mile Marker, Moorgate, Rotherham
Malcolm Marples
2 Mile Marker, Moorgate Road, Whiston.
Malcolm Marples
3 Mile Marker, Pleasley Road, Whiston, by Guilthwaite Grange.
Malcolm Marples
5 Mile Marker, Aughton Road, Aston-cum-Aughton.
Malcolm Marples
6 Mile Marker, Mansfield Road, Aston-cum-Aughton.
Malcolm Marples
7 Mile Marker, Mansfield Road, Wales.
Malcolm Marples
Swan Hotel, originally a Coaching Inn
Mansfield Museum
4 Mile Marker, Ulley Country Park

Comments about this page

  • Apparently my Grandmother, Elizabeth Stacey, gave birth to 8 of her 13 children at the Toll Bar House, hence Stacey Road named after the family.

    By Catherine Stacey (26/05/2023)
  • There was a toll house in Stoney Houghton at the junction with Losk Lane and the road that led to Shirebrook and the location was known as the Toll Bar. In my childhood (1940s) the remains of the walls were still visible on the right as you head north. The last time I was in the area (5 yrs ago) the site was completely overgrown with just a few humps in the ground. http://goo.gl/maps/TtJLD

    By David Chappell (26/12/2012)
  • Don’t know if this helps – there is a bungalow on Chesterfield Road North Pleasley at the top of the hill after Radmanthwaite Road, called something like the Toll Bar. The couple who lived there for many years told us that years ago when they were working on the road out side their home the workmen found the remains of the old toll bar gates.

    By Carol B (19/02/2012)
  • Your site was fascinating. I believe my ancestor may have been a coachman on this route in 1843. He lived in Mansfield Woodhouse and married a cook from Barlborough. I understand the turnpike road went through the village. Perhaps she was working at one of the inns.

    By ian garner (08/05/2011)
  • ref. Turnpike Roads in Nottinghamshire, are you aware of a 1934 publication by Arthur Cossons giving info on toll receipts etc. I bought my copy in the Mansfield Library Book sale about 10 years and enjoyed reading the administration and maintenance of the Turnpikes. There was a Toll house at the bottom of Peafield Lane, Mansfield Woodhouse shown on the 1835 Sanderson map, and the family who lived in the house are on the 1841 census. Hope this is of interest,

    By Tom Shead (26/12/2009)

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