Turnpike Toll Gate Locations Around Stafford

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the market town of Stafford served as a crucial transit hub connecting London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Holyhead through a network of turnpike trusts. Toll gates and toll houses were strategically erected on every major arterial route entering the town to extract fees for road maintenance. This article details the primary locations of these historic turnpike gates situated along the north, south, east, and west approaches to Stafford.

Stone Road and Foregate (North)

The primary route heading north toward Stone, Newcastle-under-Lyme, and the Potteries (now the A34) was heavily trafficked by stagecoaches and commercial wagons. The main toll barrier on this side was the Foregate Gate, located just north of the town center near the junction of Foregate Street and Greyfriars. As urban development expanded, secondary checkpoints and collection bars operated further north along the Stone Road toward Sandyford and Common Plot.

Radford Bank and Lichfield Road (South-East)

The southeastern entry into Stafford—handling traffic from Lichfield, Rugeley, and London—was controlled by the Radford Toll Gate. Situated at the foot of Radford Bank near the River Penk and the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, this was one of the busiest toll stations in the district. It regulated vehicles traveling along what is now the A34 and the A513 (Weeping Cross area).

Wolverhampton Road and Forebridge (South)

Southbound traffic toward Penkridge and Wolverhampton (the modern A449 corridor) was monitored at Forebridge. Before turnpike trusts expanded further outwards, gates stood near the southern banks of the River Sow just beyond the historic town walls. Additional turnpike checkpoints were later positioned further down the Wolverhampton Road to catch bypass traffic entering via rural lanes.

Newport Road and Castle Church (West)

The road to Gnosall, Newport, and Shropshire (now the A518) was administered under the Newport and Stretton Turnpike Trusts. The primary toll house stood along Newport Road near the base of Stafford Castle and the parish of Castle Church. This gate regulated heavy agricultural and freight traffic traveling between Shropshire and the industrial areas of Staffordshire.

Eccleshall Road (North-West)

Controlling the route toward Eccleshall and onward to Chester (now the A5013), an important gate stood along Eccleshall Road. Located on the outer edge of Stafford near the boundary of Creswell, this toll station ensured that through-traffic heading toward the north-west paid dues before entering the borough.

Weston Road and Lammascote (East)

Traffic traveling eastward toward Uttoxeter and Derby along the present-day A518 passed through toll stations positioned along Weston Road. A toll gate operated near Lammascote, monitoring the eastern marshes and water meadows, while an auxiliary gate further along Weston Road secured tolls from traffic using the Sandon Road route through the Trent Valley.