 |
| A lonely-looking Watnall on Burdett's map from 1767. It was a century before the railways came but running through the heart of Watnall is the newly-constructed turnpike road (if you could afford it). See toll charges below... |
It's only 6 miles into Nottingham from Watnall but before the end of the 19th century transport options were still very limited. So would rural Watnall have felt quiet and isolated? Perhaps not so much as an important turnpike road ran right through the centre of the village. However, it was a toll road with barriers, was not cheap and not popular with locals...
Walking was free though - Most normal people still walked everywhere. Even as late as 1900 most folks walked into Nottingham from Watnall.
"The road was crowded with colliers travelling on foot to see the match between Notts and Aston Villa… It was a good match between Notts and Villa — no goals at half-time, two-none for Notts at the finish. The colliers were hugely delighted, especially as Flint, the forward for Notts, who was an Underwood man well known to the four comrades, did some handsome work, putting the two goals through."
DHL himself walked back home to Eastwood after romantic liaisons in Sherwood with future wife Freida. Only after about 1900 do we find him cycling and that would have been on the old gravel roads. No tarmac until the 1930's. Even after the trains came he walked from Eastwood to Kimberley station every day to get into Nottingham for school, work and college.
 |
| Rush hour in Watnall c.1920 Main road outside Watnall Hall gates No cars, no tarmac, lots of walking |
Transportation options - walking, horse (if you could afford one), horse-drawn carriage on dirt roads
Expensive toll road - The Nottingham to Alfreton turnpike had run through Watnall since 1758 so stage coaches would have been an option but it was expensive and it was a paid-for toll road with chains preventing access unless you paid the gate keeper. It was 6 miles to Nottingham, 10 miles to Alfreton. It was also used to transport coal so you can imagine the poor state in would have been in for much of the year especially winter. The canals helped take the heavy loads from the roads in the late 18th century. No railway until 1875, no bikes until c.1900, no tram until 1914, dirt roads only, no tarmac until 1930s.
 |
| Chain cottages, Watnall - site of the turnpike toll-booth chain. Picture shows the old milestone only recently removed. |
Turnpike road
Watnall's links with the outside world altered dramatically in 1758. The current B600 was once part of the Nottingham to Newhaven (Derbyshire) turnpike road built in 1758-9. Part of the new network of maintained highways, it would have brought new trade and cosmopolitan travellers on stagecoaches through the village. Locals would have found it prohibitively expensive though. Toll booths were placed along the road at intervals where you had to pay the toll gate keeper to use the road...
"Two toll houses are recorded in Watnall in 1853. One was close to the junction between the current Newdigate Road and Main Road in Cantelupe. The one in Chaworth was at Chain Cottages, close to the junction between Main Road and Narrow Lane. Both had gone by 1880." Lee, J M. A Brief History of Watnall
 |
| Lancelot and his fence |
Turnpikes were not popular with locals who had to use them for taking livestock to market. Turnpike riots took place in several places around the country when feelings rose particularly high.
The Chain Cottages at Watnall corner were so called as the toll gate chain used to hang across the road there. They were rebuilt in 1896 in local Earl Cowper style after the original toll house burnt down. Earl Cowper's crest can be seen on the front. They were then bought by the Watnall estate and several employees at the hall have lived there.
The coming of the canals and railways did for the toll roads and they eventually fell into increasing disrepair when tolls were abolished. Turnpike roads became free gradually during a process of "dis-turnpiking" that took place mostly between the 1870s and 1895, as Parliament stopped renewing the trusts' acts.
 |
| Turnpike riots in Wales - locals did not like the expensive toll roads |
Toll charges
In 1855 tolls for the Watnall section of the turnpike were as follows, with a sliding scale for lower classes of vehicle. It got pretty complicated...
- For every Horse or Beast of Draught drawing any Coach, Barouche, Berlin, Landau, Chariot, Chaise, Chair, Caravan, Curricle, Calash, Hearse, Litter, Gig, Sledge, or other such Carriage, the Sum of Fourpence Halfpenny
- For every Carriage with Wheels of the Breadth of Six Inches or upwards, laden with any Millstone, Block of Stone, Piece of Timber, Boiler, Pieces of Metal or Machinery, and drawn by Five Horses or other Beasts of Draught, the Sum of Two Shillings and Sixpence,
- and if drawn by more than Five Horses or other Beasts of Draught, the further Sum of One Shilling for each such Horse or Beast of Draught exceeding that Number;
- For every Carriage with Wheels of less Breadth than Six Inches, loaded as aforesaid, and drawn by Five Horses or Beasts of Draught, the Sum of Three Shillings and Ninepence,
- and if drawn by more than Five Horses or Beasts of Draught, the further Sum of One Shilling for each Horse or Beast of Draught exceeding that Number:
- For every Horse, Mule, or other Beast, laden or unladen, and not drawing, the Sum of Three Halfpence:
- For every Drove of Oxen, Cows, or Neat Cattle, the Sum of Ten-pence per Score, and so in proportion for any greater or less Number;
- For every Drove of Calves, Hogs, Swine, Sheep, or Lambs, the Sum of Fivepence per Score,
and so in proportion for any greater or less Number:
- For every Goat or other Animal not herein-before provided for, drawing any Carriage, the Sum of Twopence:
- For every Carriage propelled by Steam or otherwise than by Animal Power, the Sum of One Shilling for each Wheel.
The Queen's Head Inn
The Queen's Head benefitted greatly from the coming of the toll road. It was much extended to cater for the extra trade from stagecoach services, travellers, etc and it's no surprise that next door was a smithy and wheelwrights business.
 |
| The main road through Watnall c.1900 |
 |
| The toll gate keeper had to be active at all times day and night for the regular stagecoaches |
Did Watnall have a Roman road too?
This intriguing story came from one of Watnall's most trusted old schoolmasters Mr John Hobbs. We deal with it in a different article here.
This intriguing story came from one of Watnall's most trusted old schoolmasters Mr John Hobbs. We deal with it in a different article here.
 |
| The Appian Way - did Watnall have a Roman road? |
 |
| In DH Lawrence's story "Strike Pay" the miners walk from Eastwood into Nottingham to watch the Notts County football game against Aston Villa |
Notes and sources:
Lee, J M. A Brief History of Watnall; Census records and Victorian business directories;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnpike_trust
Population explosion - As late as 1844 there were only 200 souls in Watnall Chaworth and 190 in Watnall Cantelupe. Nowadays the figures have ballooned as have the number of houses...
For Nuthall and Watnall - 2022: 7,403 2016: 3,130 Kimberley 6,000.
For Greasley Parish 1832 4,583; 2021 Census: 11,241;
For Nottingham - 1841 population 53,000; 2021 Census: 323,600
Peter Perez Burdett and his amazing map... https://watnallhall.blogspot.com/2024/11/from-long-lost-library-of-watnall-hall.html
Nottingham and Newhaven Turnpike Trust 1758 32 Geo. 2. c. 38
Notts and Derby Roads Act 1758
An Act for repairing and widening the Roads from Chappel Bar near the West End of the Town of Nottingham, to Newhaven, and from the Four Lane Ends near Oakerthorpe to Ashborne, and from the Cross Post on Wirksworth Moor, to join the Road leading from Chesterfield to Chappel-en-le-Frith, at or near Longston in the County of Derby, and from Selston to Annesley Woodhouse in the County of Nottingham.
Nottingham and Newhaven Trust Act 1855 - list of tolls
Turnpike history - https://tringhistory.tringlocalhistorymuseum.org.uk/Tring/c_chapter%2002.htm
Football match - https://thedigitalpilgrimage.wordpress.com/tag/miners-strike-1912/
https://gottfriedfuchs.blogspot.com/2017/11/dh-lawrence.html
Comments
Post a Comment