Turnpike Road and Toll House
The busy A354 from the top of Monkton Hill looking towards Dorchester, following the straight Roman Road route. The end of the first field boundary is known as Gipsies' Corner [J Purkiss 2005]
Turnpike Road and Toll House
The former turnpike road between Dorchester and Weymouth traversed the parish and largely followed the line of the Roman Road south from Dorchester. It remains today as the A354. A turnpike cottage was constructed adjacent to the road in Monkton for collecting tolls but was demolished in a post-war road improvement scheme.Its residents were, in part:
- 1841
- Address: Turnpike Gate
- Head of household and occupation: Charles Vallis, Gatekeeper
- 1851
- Address: Turnpike Gate
- Head of household and occupation: Jospeh Spracklen, Turnpike Gate Keeper, Toll Collector
- 1861
- Address: Monkton Gate
- Head of household and occupation: Frances Fever, Toll Collector
- 1871
- Neither address nor likely occupation covered in census return
- 1881
- Address: Gate House
- Head of household and occupation: Charles Downton, shepherd on farm
- (Inference is that the turnpike gate was no longer used for toll collection at this time)
- 1891
- Address: Old Turnpike Gate
- Head of household and occupation: John William Carter, Agricultural Labourer
The northern part of the A354 Dorchester Road Relief Road (bypassing Broadwey and Upwey) is planned to affect the Ridgeway part of the parish and details can be found on the County Council's website.