Part 6 - The Thornsett Turnpike
A number of roads in and around New Mills were constructed and maintained by the Thornsett Turnpike Trust. These incuded Union Road - Spring Bank - Bridge Street; Albion Road - Church Road - Hayfield Road and Marsh Lane - Station Road, Furness Vale; a total of eight miles. There were six toll bars in New Mills; one in Furness Vale and another at BirchVale. The Thornsett Trust was established by an act of 1831 for "making and maintaining
a Road from Thornset in the County of Derby to Furnace Colliery within Disley
in the County of Chester, and for making and maintaining several Additions
thereto."
Income from tolls amounted to £474 by 1850 but in 1838, the trust had a total debt of £11093.
The turnpike was a considerable improvement on previous roads. In Furness Vale, Station Road, now crossed the canal by a bridge and took the present alignment replacing Old Road as the main route to New Mills. There were toll bars at Marsh Lane Head at at Joule Bridge over the River Goyt. It was from this bridge, where in 1851, William Southern, son of the tollkeeper, fell to his death whilst playing on the parapet.
