Record Details
NHER Number: | 59972 |
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Type of record: | Monument |
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Name: | The Acle Straight or Acle New Road |
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Summary
A former turnpike road constructed across marshland between Acle and Great Yarmouth with a branch road to Halvergate, in 1830/1831.
Images - none
Location
Grid Reference: | TG 4606 0862 |
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Map Sheet: | TG40NE |
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Parish: | ACLE, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
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| GREAT YARMOUTH, GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK |
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| HALVERGATE, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
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Full description
The 'Acle Straight' or 'Acle New Road', now part of the A47 Trunk Road, originated as a new turnpike road following an Act of Parliament in 1830 for making a new road across the marshes between Acle and Great Yarmouth with a branch road between Seven Mile House (River Bure) and Halvergate village. The road was to shorten the distance between Yarmouth and Norwich by 3 miles and 5 furlongs. The lead contractor for the project was the engineer William Thorold.
At the end of May 1830, it was ordered that the road be staked out. Ditches were to be made on each side 37ft apart and a gravelled road at least 21 feet wide made between them. A mattress of willow brushwood, soil from the ditches, another layer of brushwood and then gravel was placed on the road bed. Willows were planted either side and their roots gradually grew into the faggots to consolidate them. By April 1831, the road was complete apart from the laying of broken stones and shingles. The road was opened later that year.
Toll houses were set up at both ends of the main and branch roads in Acle (NHER 55839), Tunstall (NHER 55883), Halvergate (NHER 60049) and Great Yarmouth.
In 1908, problems with subsidence meant that piling was proposed however testing found no sound bottom at a depth of 11ft so it was decided to fill up the low place with rough material as before.
Adapted from (S1) see also for further information.
A. Yardy (HES), 17 January 2014.
Monument Types
- TOLL ROAD (19th Century - 1830 AD to 1863 AD)
- TOLL ROAD (19th Century to Early 20th Century - 1863 AD to 1921 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status
Sources and further reading
<S1> | Article in Serial: Haines, C. 2011. The Life and Work of a Norfolk Road Surveyor. Milestones and Waymarkers, The Journal of the Milestone Society. 4. |
Related records
60049 | Parent of: Site of the toll house, Branch Road, Halvergate (Monument) |
55839 | Parent of: Site of toll gate and toll house, Acle New Road (Monument) |
55883 | Parent of: Site of toll house, Branch Road, Tunstall (Monument) |