Turnpike Trusts

Two important turnpike trusts, based in Amesbury and Fisherton Anger (Salisbury), were authorised in 1761 to take responsibility for long stretches of major roads (including what are now known as the A36, A303 and A360), and both impinged on Codford. The Fisherton trust in 1761 turnpiked the Wylye valley road all the way from Salisbury, via Wilton and along Codford’s main street, to Heytesbury, where an earlier trust continued the route to Warminster. The Amesbury trust, as well as controlling the main Exeter road from near Andover to the hill above Mere, also turnpiked the road from Shrewton, through Chitterne, to Heytesbury, which crosses Codford’s downland.