What did the Romans do for us? The origin of today’s A24 road from Worthing.
After the Roman invasion of 43AD, they introduced rabbits, onions, underfloor heating, baths, roses, apples, plums, beetroot etc. … plus roads, which were the backbone of the Roman Empire. Roman roads fanned out from centres of population and were chiefly used to move troops and supplies to outposts across the Roman World. With the decline of the Roman Empire and the abandonment of Britain – never a favourite posting – the road system was neglected for centuries and much of the Roman road system disappeared as a result.
By the 16th century, most roads were tracks sometimes based on these roads but also following ancient routes dating from prehistoric times. Travel could be seasonal and diminished during the winter.
The “trails”/roads were dusty when dry and muddy and often impassable when wet. Tudor laws placed responsibility for maintaining roads on parish councils, who could ill afford this expense and the situation became unsatisfactory for principle highways used by long distance travellers and waggoners. The growth in traffic, especially carts and carriages, led to further deterioration in the state of most roads.
A new idea for Sussex roads
Thus in the 18th century, there occurred the development of “semi-private” enterprises of turnpike roads. The proposal to turnpike a section of road was usually a local initiative requiring an individual act of parliament. Unpaid trustees, often local clergy, gentry or merchants, were appointed and their powers lasted around 21 years. However, trusts regularly requested extensions to raise money to pay off debts and loans incurred in construction, repairing and maintaining roads. Yet the turnpike system, although unpopular with many, was a comparatively equitable way of collecting revenue towards the upkeep of the road since each user paid according to the use made.
Tolls were paid to toll keepers at toll gates situated at roughly every 4 miles distance. Unfortunately, this could be open to abuse due to the difficulty of adequately supervising the toll keepers, who were inclined to independently interpret the local turnpike act. Frequent complaints were made of excessive demands which had no legal foundation. Trustees did not improve matters by tending to leave certain points regarding tolls and toll keeper’s rights vague.
Roads across West Sussex were notoriously bad because of vast swathes of woodland and the Downs, which made travel virtually impassible in winter and in bad weather. Up to the end of the 18th century, the route from London to Worthing passed through Dorking to Horsham and then to Knepp Castle via a turnpike road set up in 1755. A second act in 1764 extended the road eastwards to Steyning, which was considered a fine stretch of turnpike road. However, this left routes over the Downs to the coast relying on ancient tracks often meeting a number of unconnected country lanes, which caused travellers to endure uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous journeys especially in winter.
A new fashion
In the mid 18th century, sea bathing and stays on the coast developed especially for health reasons – although only for those who could afford it. Up to then Worthing was a small collection of cottages near the sea. In 1759, the first holiday visitor to Worthing was recorded when a Londoner sent his son to stay with a local family. The visit later that century of Princess Amelia, youngest daughter of King George the Third, for her health helped to set up a rapid expansion of facilities to cater for visitors and thus helped Worthing to develop into a seaside resort. However, at the beginning of the 19th century, a better direct route to the town was required.
Worthing had by now separated from the parish of Broadwater to the north and, on 24th May 1802, an Act of Parliament was obtained to plan and build a road from Worthing north to Findon and then via Washington, Ashington and Dial Post to join the Steyning turnpike at West Grinstead. The trustees held their first meeting at the Chequers Inn, Steyning, and agreed to erect three toll gates – one at the Teville Pond at the entrance to Worthing; a second at Ashington and a third at Dial Post. The road was constructed by a Mr Heath of Horsham and opened in 1804; the current A24 follows much of the route.
On the opening of the turnpike road, coaches were routed to use it and this provided a much improved journey to Worthing. Instead of one coach every other day during the summer and a weekly wagon from London, there was now a daily service throughout the year. The daily coach to London left at 7am and the journey took 7 hours. The fares started at 11/- for the cheapest outside, uncovered seat (about £50 in 2018). Coaches also ran to Arundel and then eastwards to Brighton via a coastal turnpike route. By 1832, there were 24 daily departures and arrivals serving destinations all over Southern England which further enhanced Worthing’s accessibility and development.
Toll rates
The tolls set for the 3 toll gates into Worthing varied according to which gate, type of vehicle, and type of traveller. These were….
Dial Post/Ashington Worthing
Any wagon with breadth under 6′ 6d 2d
Horses, mules, ass, bullock &
other beasts drawing a carriage 4.5d 1.5d
For unladen of the above 2d 1d
For every drove of oxen, cows, cattle 10d per score 5d per score
For every drove of calves, pigs, sheep, lambs 5d per score 2.5d per score
Exemptions were:-
- Beasts carrying materials to repair roads, manure, lime, dung or implements for husbandry.
- Persona attending church services or residing in the parish.
- Horses carrying the mail.
- Military horses.
- Carriages conveying vagrants and carriages conveying electors.
Toll responsibilities at the three gates were auctioned annually in accordance with the terms of the Act. The receipts from the three together rose from £530 in 1804 to £940 in 1822. However, this was not enough to maintain the road and pay off loans. Therefore, as the time for renewal of the Act drew nearer, the trustees applied to decrease the length of the road and increase the tolls; this was not popular with Worthing citizens.
Chaotic legislation
By the 1820s turnpike legislation was becoming chaotic so the 1822 General Turnpike Act was passed to consolidate and cancel the 16 previous Acts; these were embodied into a new 1823 Worthing Turnpike Act. However, having a turnpike in Worthing had become increasingly unpopular. Thus the new legislation gave the local population an opportunity at a meeting held on the 16th March 1823, to request the removal of the Teville Pond gate. A sum of £50 was raised to cover expenses and a further £50 to purchase land held by the trustees around it. This was unsuccessful prompting an approach to Mr Carter, the farmer in charge of the gate, “to remove the toll bar at the entrance to Worthing”; he ignored this request. However, the 1823 Worthing Turnpike Act did lead to the road immediately north out of the town being discontinued as a turnpike road including the Worthing toll gate, and the road was taken over by the parish. Instead a new toll gate was erected on the Findon road at the bottom of the Boost Hill with a second gate (demolished in 1873/4) at Findon village. Tolls were revised to be similar at all gates.
The re-organisation of the turnpike road also gave impetus to an extension westwards from Findon across the Long Furlong track. This was part of the Michelgrove estate originally owned by the Shelley family, who sold it to the Walker family from Liverpool. Owner Michael Walker developed his own private turnpike road across Long Furlong as an investment but he became bankrupt. The Worthing turnpike trustees then took over and developed the western extension of the turnpike to reach Littlehampton via Angmering and Rustington (now the A280). The Michelgrove estate was subsequently purchased by the Duke of Norfolk, who demolished the dilapidated Michelgrove House in 1845.
However, the finances of turnpike companies were of continual concern as shown in records held at the West Sussex Record Office. The AGM for the Worthing Turnpike Company held on 2th March 1841 at the Frankland Arms, Washington under the chairmanship of Hugh Ingram, hints at underlying difficulties in the accounts presented. The income from tolls at the 4 toll gates(including Long Furlong) was given as £1688-15-7d. Expenditure was £56 to the clerk and surveyor. Maintenance of the road (covering materials and labour) was £321-12-7d. Some payments were made for interest, law charges, stamp duty and a sinking fund. However, debts were listed as £3445-6-3d of which £3281-5-0d was a bonded or mortgage debt at 5% interest. The maintenance of the road was an ongoing problem. Hugh wagons were of concern because of damage caused by “narrow” wheels. Efforts were made to encourage wagons to be fitted with broader wheels to “roll the road” and improve it rather than cause deep ruts. One solution was to charge wagons according to the width of their wheels.
Time for a new approach
Turnpikes were not always popular with travellers or the public in general. Turnpike keepers were a variety of characters but usually of a surly disposition. However, they did often have to deal with difficult customers and had to be alert for evasion of fees known as “bilking the pike”. Some turnpike keepers were prone to drink. One Ashington keeper, William Chambers, also known as Billy Donger, spent most of his time at the local inn and expected to receive his tolls there as well. He was sacked when the trustees discovered the amount of tolls collected was greatly reduced as a result. Unfortunately using turnpikes did not encourage temperance because coachmen and passengers were often prone to drinking. This was not helped by the frequent change of horses, mainly at coaching inns along the road, and travelling in winter could be very cold. Thus strong, warm, liquid refreshment provided by the inns was a necessity.
By the mid Victorian period, turnpikes and tolls were seen as an impediment to free trade and the multitude of trusts as inefficient. The arrival of the railways meant faster travel which became more and more available to all, especially those wishing to travel to the south coast. However, in some areas, railway companies were obliged to pay tithes and make periodic contributions to the turnpike trusts. Finally the 1888 Local Government Act gave responsibility for maintaining roads to county councils and county boroughs signalling the end of all turnpike trusts. Toll gates were opened, toll keepers made redundant and toll cottages were either demolished or became private homes. The turnpike trusts did set up a network of roads across Britain including the Worthing turnpike, which is their legacy. Many turnpike roads are still part of today’s road system including the A24 and A280 across West Sussex and, where the original road can be identified, it is still possible to find evidence of milestones and old coaching inns – many still serving customers – a remnant of a mode of travel from a bygone age.
This article is contributed by Helena Millen
