Yeovil's Virtual Museum

Hendford turnpike Stop Gate

Also known as Hendford Bridge Gate

 

In 1753, Turnpike Commissioners were appointed for "repairing and widening the roads" of Yeovil.  At the first meeting of the Yeovil Turnpike Trust on 12 June 1753, they ordered that "three capital gates be erected" at Hendford Bridge (by today's Railway Tavern) and also known as Hendford Gate, Goar Knap (spanning Sherborne Road on the town side of the junction of St Michael's Avenue - later replaced by Yeovil Bridge Turnpike House) and the "Head of Kingston". There was also the Pen Style Stop Gate near the entrance leading from Pen Style to Newton, later replaced by Pen Style Turnpike House. Other gates at various times being Watercombe Side Gate, Combe Street Lane "Hutt Gate" - later replaced by Mudford Road Turnpike House, Milford Lane Side Gate (today's Goldcroft) and Jernegan's Hut Side Gate at Vagg.

Hendford Gate was later moved to the top of Hendford Hill, at the junction with Dorchester Road. Both the gate at the bottom of the hill and that at the top were known as Hendford Gate. The move to the top of the hill took place around 1838 when a new toll house was built, but it is thought that a toll-bar may have been in-situ here before the move proper.

Dr Thomas Rammell, the Board of Health’s inspector's 1852 report into the public health and sanitary conditions of Yeovil town, commented "The trustees lately removed the Hendford Gate from the bridge to the top of the hill, a distance of a quarter of a mile, in accordance with a wish expressed by the townspeople."

 

 

An extract from Edward Bullock Watts' 1806 map of Yeovil showing the toll gate across the road by the bridge over Dodham Brook and the toll keeper's cottage located in what would be today's parking spaces outside the Railway Inn.

 

An extract of Edward Mogg’s map of 1817 (north is roughly to the right). At the top of the map, “Turnpike” indicates the location of the Hendford Bridge gate before being moved to the top of Hendford Hill at the junction with Dorchester Road.

Towards the bottom and above the text “Windmill Hill” is the Goar Knap Turnpike Gate - shown as an "X" actually across Sherborne Road.

An extract of George Edward Madeley's (1798-1858) map of Yeovil of 1831, enlarged below, showing the Hendford Bridge Gate.

 

An extract of the 1886 Ordnance Survey showing the Hendford Bridge area. Dodham Brook runs from just left of centre at top towards top right and the Railway Hotel is at bottom right. The building at centre, towards the top, is in the logical place for the toll house and has a typical bay window to easily see approaching travellers.

 

 

The notice placed in the Western Flying Post during 1837 requesting tenders for the building of the new toll houses at Hendford Hill and Kingston Gate.