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## Turnpike Cottage, Leigh Cross
In 1851, Maria Hymas was the toll collector at Turnpike Cottage, located on London Road opposite Westleigh Schools. The cottage was inhabited by the Nay family in 1911. The upkeep of roads was managed by the Parish, and the tolls collected were used to improve them. Turnpike Trusts, established by Parliament, were responsible for raising loans for road repairs, building tollhouses, erecting gates and milestones, and included local landowners. Tolls were initially based on the size of a vehicle and the number of horses pulling it, or the number of animals in a drove. However, it soon became apparent that the weight of the load caused damage, and occasionally weighing machines would be built by certain gates. This allowed a ticket to be provided indicating the weight of the vehicle, which could then be produced each time a vehicle passed through a gate. However, toll roads were not universally popular, and in some areas, there were riots against toll tax in 1726. (leighlives.co.uk)
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