He pointed out a road quite near us which
had been made so that vehicles could get past the toll-bar on their way
to and from Kendal without going through the gates and paying toll. This
had been constructed by a landowner for the use of himself and his
tenants. As a retort the toll people had erected a stump at each side of
the entrance, apparently with the object of placing a chain across the
road, and had also erected a wooden hut to shelter a special toll-keeper
who only attended on Kendal market days. Some mischievous persons,
however, had overturned the hut, and we did not envy the man who on a
day like this had to attend here to collect tolls without any shelter to
protect him from the elements. Tollgates and turnpikes were ancient
institutions on the British roads, and in many places were in the hands
of Turnpike Trusts, who often rented the tolls to outsiders and applied
the rent chiefly to the repair of the roads. A fixed charge was made on
cattle and vehicles passing through the gates, and the vehicles were
charged according to the number of animals and wheels attached to them,
a painted table of tolls being affixed to the tollhouse. The gates were
kept closed, and were only opened when vehicles and cattle arrived, and
after payment of the charges.
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