April 2014

Below is a selection of street name signs with a connection to the history of Yorkshire’s road network.

Branch Road: usually denotes a branch leading off a turnpike road, perhaps to a nearby village, and perhaps part of the tolled turnpike. This one is at Scholes, near Cleckheaton, leading to the Leeds and Whitehall Road (now the A58)		Chain Road (no name-plate): This is on the present Marsden to Meltham road (B6107), but was originally the 1st and 2nd Wakefield-Austerlands Turnpike.  When the 3rd turnpike was built (the present A62) in 1839, a chain was erected to stop travellers using the old route.  Note the original milestone at right.		Coach Road: This is on the road from Meltham to Netherthong (B6107) – part of an old packhorse road linking Marsden and Penistone.  Because of the steepness of the road leaving Meltham this road for horse-drawn vehicles was constructed taking a (slightly) gentler climb up the hill.
New Line: at Greengates, Bradford.  This section of the Shipley and Bramley (for Leeds) Turnpike was straightened at some point in the early 19th century, perhaps when the road was originally constructed in 1826.		Old Packhorse Road: outside Delph in Saddleworth, joining the present A62, this was the principal pre-turnpike road towards Huddersfield over Standedge.  Some of the route also coincides with the Roman Road at Castleshaw.		Old Turnpike: The Huddersfield to Woodhead road over Holme Moss originally took a somewhat wiggly course between Honley and Holmfirth; this section heads south from the original Honley Bridge.  A new bridge and straighter road through Hagg Wood was constructed in 1824.