or the improvement of
local roads were passed during the years 1700 and 1770. At the latter
part of this period, narrow wheels were penalised more heavily than
broad wheels.

Lewis Levy was a prominent man in the days of Turnpike Trusts, as he was
a farmer of Metropolitan turnpike tolls to the tune of half a million
pounds a year!

The history of toll bars is not wanting in romance: "Blow up for the
gate," would say the coachman to the guard, when drawing near to a
"pike" in the darkness of night. Lustily might guard blow, but it did
not always have the desired effect. "Gate, gate!" would shout coachman
and guard. Down would get guard and tootle-tootle impatiently. And out
would shuffle in his loose slippers the "pike" keeper in a dazed
condition from fatigue produced by frequent disturbances. As he opens
the gate he is soundly rated by coachman and guard, and enjoined to
leave the gate open for the next mail down, or he would have to pay a
fine of 40s. to the Postmaster General, that being the penalty for not
preserving an unobstructed way for H. Majesty's mails.

[Illustration: TURNPIKE GATE HOUSE ON CHARFIELD AND WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE
ROAD.

GATE ABOLISHED 1880.]

In the Bristol district toll bars were plentiful, and attempts were made
to erect ornate little houses which should be pleasing to the eyes of
travellers. That such attempts were not always unsuccessful, the
picturesque toll-gate houses depicted in these pages will demonstrate.

In 1804, Sarah Rennison, widow of Thomas Rennison, advertised that she
lately had the ladies' and gentlemen's cold baths, near Stokes Croft
Turnpike, effectually cleaned. "These baths are supplied with water from
a clear and ever-flowing spring, uncontaminated by anything whatever, as
it flows from a clear and limpid stream from its source to the pipes in
the baths."

This turnpike, named the Stokes Croft Gate, stood on the turnpike way
designated Horfield Road. The gate was erected across the lane leading
from the said road to Rennison's Baths.

Very soon after "Sarah's" announcement, this landmark of the old city
was doomed to disappear, and the gate was removed from the top of the
Croft to a site some four or five hundred yards further up the road,
near to the present railway arch.

An advertisement from the _Bristol Journal_, Saturday, July 14th, 1804,
ran as follows:--"To be sold, the materials of the old Turnpike House at
the top of Stoke's Croft. The purchaser to be a