Toll Booth, Stoney Middleton

This building, boasting the sale of "Fish and Chips" is a former Stoney Middleton Toll Booth. It was built in 1840, when a new turnpike route was blasted though the Dale to replace the old roadway which wandered over what is known as 'The Bank'. The Bank meets the present road again on the right of the photograph, just beyond the Toll Booth.

Its octagonal design was to match the plan of St Martin's Church, and was intended originally to be two storeys. However due to lack of funds (nothing new there!) only one storey was built. William MORTON of Froggatt was the stone mason and George BUXTON of Stoney Middleton was the joiner. The work was completed in 2 months, at a cost just over one hundred pounds.

As will be seen, it's still a busy road past the Toll Booth - it's almost impossible with limited time in the village to get a snapshot free of traffic! Stoney Middleton Brook is culverted under the road at this point, and emerges from underneath the tollbooth onto the site of the former Mill Dam, over a waterfall, behind the houses, then next clearly visible from the road leading to Stoney Middleton Church.

The Toll Booth is now a Grade II Listed Building. Does any other Chip Shop in the country have that honour? <G!>

The sign on the right of the photo is the bus stop. Look over the wall at that point and you can see a flat patch of grass bisected by the brook where the former Mill Dam used to be.

Reference:
Stoney Middleton, A Working Village - Millennium Awards booklet published 2002.

(Commentary provided by Rosemary Lockie)