Monument record 1503900000 - Fornhill to Stony Stratford Turnpike

ROAD A: FROM THE COUNTY BOUNDARY SE OF LITTLE BRICKHILL TO THE COUNTY BOUNDARY W OF STONY STRATFORD.
This forms part of the London-Holyhead road, taking the line of the old Roman road, Watling Street. The road from Fornhill (Beds.) to Stony Stratford was the earliest turnpike road in England to be controlled by a body of trustees. The Fornhill to Stony Stratford Turnpike Trust was set up in 1706 and later extended SE to Hockliffe. Nowadays it is the A5 and still follows closely the Roman road.
In 1755 the trustees authorised their surveyor to 'pick and gather stone in Bradwell fields for the repair and mending of the turnpike road'. In 1771 gravel was to be carried from private land, payment being made for any damage caused. Nevertheless, the road from Fenny Stratford to Stony Stratford was described as 'miserable indeed' by James William and Jacob Malcolm in 1794.
In the Bucks section of the road there were two toll gates. That at Fenny Stratford was by the 44th mile post, on the SW corner of the crossroads leading N to Walton and S to Great Brickhill (SP 893 334 ). At Two Mile Ash a house by the 50th mile post (SP 817 383) which served as a toll house was 'still' being rented from Lord Salisbury in 1744 and 1755. Two Mile Ash Turnpike has been exhaustively researched by G K Tull in The Hockliffe-Two Mile Ash Turnpike 1790-1807 taken from a Treasurer's Account Book. Both gates were still in use and up for tender for a year in 1866.
The trustees agreed to the erection of a weighing engine at Two Mile Ash in 1774, to be kept in repair at a cost of two guineas per annum. The gate keeper was to be given an additional payment for operating it. The engine was still in use in 1806.
The trustees minutes for 1746 refer to the rebuilding of Hertford bridge; although this has not been traced by name it appears
possible that it was the bridge over the River Ouse at Old Stratford (B1).