Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

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

• SHINE

Sources and further reading

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