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Pocket
Histories
of
Redditch
-
Roads:
from
the
Romans
to
the
New
Town
Designed
and
Produced
by
Anthony
Green
2015
Redditch
Roads
2:
From
the
Romans
to
the
New
Town
Pocket
Histories
of
Redditch
-
Roads:
from
the
Romans
to
the
New
Town
Designed
and
Produced
by
Anthony
Green
2015
After
the
Romans
very
little
happened
in
the
area
before
the
Cistercian
monks
of
Bordesley
Abbey
arrived.
Iknield
Street
would
still
have
been
a
major
route
and
there
was
almost
certainly
a
route
along
the
‘ridgeway’
which
is
now
Astwood
Bank,
Crabbs
Cross
etc.
With
the
development
of
Redditch,
after
the
12th
Century,
there
would
have
been
links
to
Feckenham
and
other
areas,
but
before
the
19th
century
there
were
no
regular
road
services
to
Redditch.
However,
by
about
1820
there
were
coach
services
to
Birmingham,
Alcester
and
the
canal
at
Tardebigge.
Iknield
Street,
at
this
stage,
would
still
be
a
major
route
and
the
important
route
North
would
be
via
this
ancient
road.
Early
Road
System
after
the
Roman
Occupation
Pocket
Histories
of
Redditch
-
Roads:
from
the
Romans
to
the
New
Town
Designed
and
Produced
by
Anthony
Green
2015
Creating
a
network
of
well-maintained
roads
was
one
major
achievement
of
18th
century
England.
These
highways
simplified
the
rapid
and
efficient
transportation
of
goods
and
passengers
throughout
the
Kingdom.
They
linked
the
major
centres
of
population
by
highways
which
were,
in
principle,
reliably
financed
and
operated
for
the
benefit
of
long
distance
commercial
traffic.
In
1826
the
turnpikes
came
to
Redditch
when
the
Pershore
Road
turnpike
opened.
This
was
originally
planned
to
run
from
Birmingham
to
Pershore
and
the
Vale
of
Evesham
to
provide
transportation
to
carry
produce
to
feed
the
growing
city.
Within
Birmingham
the
Pershore
Road
ran
parallel
its
competitor
the
Bristol
Road
for
several
miles
and
was,
in
total,
15
miles
long.
Due
to
financial
problems
the
Birmingham
to
Pershore
turnpike
was
never
completed
and
ended
at
Dunnington
Heath
where
there
is,
not
surprisingly,
a
right
angled
bend.
However,
despite
this
setback,
it
provided
a
major
improvement
to
Redditch
access
roads.
The
Turnpike
Road
Pocket
Histories
of
Redditch
-
Roads:
from
the
Romans
to
the
New
Town
Designed
and
Produced
by
Anthony
Green
2015
Toll
Houses
The
turnpike
roads
had
gates
across
the
road
at
strategic
points
to
collect
tolls
from
travellers
from
outside
the
Parish.
Small
lodges
or
cottages
were
built
to
house
the
toll
collectors.
The
Birmingham
to
Pershore
toll
road
had
six
main
gates
and
two
side
gates.
In
Redditch
there
were
two
toll
houses,
one
at
the
northern
entrance
at
Bordesley
and
one
at
the
southern
exit
at
Mount
Pleasant.
End
of
the
Toll
Road
Most
turnpike
trusts
were
wound
up
under
the
General
Acts
of
Parliament
between
1873
and
1878.
The
transfer
of
resources
and
sale
of
assets
to
repay
loans
were
supervised
by
the
Local
Government
Board
which
acted
as
arbiter
for
disputes.
Toll-houses
were
sold,
gates
torn
down
and
responsibility
for
the
main
roads
passed
to
Highway
Boards.
Bond-holders
were
paid
off
with
any
residual
funds.
Above:
Toll
House
at
Bordesley
at
the
junction
of
Bordesley
Lane
and
Birmingham
Road
(demolished
in
1960s)
Below:
Toll
House
across
Mount
Pleasant
(drawing
JM
Woodward)
Pocket
Histories
of
Redditch
-
Roads:
from
the
Romans
to
the
New
Town
Designed
and
Produced
by
Anthony
Green
2015
After
the
19th
Century
there
is
little
to
add
in
terms
of
road
changes.
As
this
1950
OS
1:25,000
series
map
shows,
the
main
Birmingham
Road
,
A441,
still
passed
directly
through
the
town
centre
(Evesham
Street),
continued
through
Headless
Cross,
Crabbs
Cross,
Astwood
Bank
and
then
to
Evesham.
This
followed
the
route
of
the
original
Birmingham
to
Pershore
Turnpike
Road.
The
route
to
Bromsgrove
in
the
West
was
via
Bromsgrove
Road
or
Birchfield
Road.
There
was
no
connection
between
Forge
Mill
Road
and
the
main
Birmingham
road.
Easemore
Road
was
a
‘dead-end’
,
the
route
south
through
Studley
was
along
Studley
Road,
the
route
East
to
Henley
in
Arden
was
along
Watery
Lane
and
Iknield
Street
was
still
a
route
for
vehicles.
Redditch
Town
Centre
before
the
New
Town
Pocket
Histories
of
Redditch
-
Roads:
from
the
Romans
to
the
New
Town
Designed
and
Produced
by
Anthony
Green
2015
Since
early
times,
the
centre
of
Redditch
was
the
crossroads
formed
from
the
road
from
Birmingham
going
south
and
the
road
from
Bromsgrove
going
on
to
Alcester.
With
the
creation
of
the
Kingfisher
shopping
centre,
but
without
the
improvement
of
the
town
centre
road
system,
the
situation
was
difficult.
Using
the
old
roads,
as
this
Alcad
‘how
to
find
us’
map
shows,
a
‘one
way’
system
was
developed.
The
roads
were
redirected
to
continue
the
route
to
Mount
Pleasant
and
along
Evesham
Road
through
Headless
Cross,
Crabbs
Cross,
Astwood
Bank
and
on
to
Evesham,
and
the
road
from
Bromsgrove
passed
down
Unicorn
Hill.
The
route
south,
through
Studley,
was
sent
down
Ipsley
Street.
This
was
clearly
an
interim
solution
to
satisfy
the
requirements
of
an
increasing
car
ownership
and
volume
and
a
permanent
solution
was
required.
A
Confusing
Town
Centre
Pocket
Histories
of
Redditch
-
Roads:
from
the
Romans
to
the
New
Town
Designed
and
Produced
by
Anthony
Green
2015
End
of
Presentation
Redditch
Roads
2:
From
the
Romans
to
the
New
Town