The World's First Turnpike

The first official toll road or 'turnpike' in Britain was created at Wadesmill by Act of Parliament in 1663.

The Wadesmill turnpike was necessary to pay for the construction and upkeep of the old Roman Ermine Street between Wadesmill and Royston. This had become impassable in places due to the large number of heavily laden carts carrying barley to the rapidly expanding malting and brewing industry at Ware. The Act gave the newly created Turnpike Trust the right to charge travellers passing along the road, and a toll gate or 'turnpike' for this purpose was built across the road at Wadesmill in 1665. Charges varied from ½ penny for a horse to one shilling and sixpence for a coach.
Engraving of the Turnpike at Wadesmill in the 18th Century. Copyright HALS
The fact that Wadesmill was the first turnpike in England reflects both the continued importance of Ermine Street as a national route and the fact that the old Roman road was unable to cope with the weight and volume of 17th century commercial traffic to Ware. The Wadesmill turnpike was a success, although the Turnpike Trust itself didn't make much profit, and a network of turnpikes developed in Hertfordshire - and eventually throughout England - in the later 17th and early 18th century. Most turnpikes became bankrupt with the arrival of the railways in the early 19th century, and the Wadesmill road was eventually taken over by the local highways board (later to become the county highways authority) in 1862.

©Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Hertfordshire County Council, LA 076678, 2000
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