Surveyor of the Highways

SURVEYOR OF THE HIGHWAYS

Until 1555 the maintenance of local roads was a manorial duty but by this time the feudal system was on its way out with many responsibilities being handed over to the Parish. Tudor legislation required every parishioner to provide four days of labour each year for each plough land or pasture that he owned. Those who owned a draught of horses were required to make a similar commitment and to make available a cart and two men. Later the four days of labour was extended to six – no doubt a reflection of the state of the roads.

Between 1555 and 1835 every parish cared for its roads and had a Surveyor of the Highways to monitor, arrange and supervise the work parties.

It was not easy to compel neighbours to spend several days a year doing hard labour on local roads, even if it was the law. Refusing to accept the post of surveyor could result in a fine, which goes to show the unpaid post was unpopular.

Many parishes solved the problem by rotating the task between those eligible to serve, usually people of a higher standing in the community. The surveyor was allowed to dig for gravel, needed in the construction and repair of the roads, anywhere in the parish without needing to ask for permission. If the surveyor was a landowner he would have control over the source of gravel and could dig this on his own property, of course he would then be paid for the gravel.


The free labour meant that the men of the parish needed to be organized, supervised and a record kept of those who refused to do the work. The Parish Surveyor of Highways maintained accounts and three times each year he was required to `present´ the state of the roads to the Justices at the Quarter Sessions.

Each year a new surveyor was elected and shown how to fill in the register, once this was done the old register would no longer be needed and more than likely destroyed, few still survive.

In these records names of local people can be found, usually with signatures, they state where the work was being done and by whom, what jobs were being carried out and any costs incurred.

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