194 LONG BRIDGE. 



Plymptoh, by a ford across the river, and thence 

 by a narrow lane to Plympton, through the Tory 

 (then running across a lane called Lincotta Lane), 

 and thence through Underwood to that town. In 

 1758 the wants of the increased population required 

 better accommodation, and an act of parliament was 

 applied for to constitute the gentlemen of the 

 country, and adjacent towns, a body of trustees; 

 authorizing them to collect tolls from all persons 

 using the road, and to widen and improve the then 

 almost impassable highways. Before this bridge 

 was built, the most accustomed road to Plymptdn 

 was across the sands from Crabtree to Blaxton, under 

 Saltram, and thence by a road to Underwood, 

 since thrown into Saltram grounds. But as this 

 road was dependant on the state of the tide, it was 

 of course extremely inconvenient, and frequently 

 dangerous. When therefore a new road to Exeter 

 became necessary, great controversy arose whether 

 that road should be carried from Crabtree over a 

 bridge to be built at Blaxton, thence and through 

 Underwood and Plympton, to Ivy Bridge ; or over 

 the New Bridge, and through Ridgevvay to Ivy 

 Bridge. The dispute was conducted with much 

 unnecessary acrimony and ill will, and sadly divided 

 the families of the district. At the head of the 

 successful party was Sir John Rogers ; at the head 

 of the defeated one Mr. Parker, of Saltram. Not 

 content with the direful conflicts which turnpike 

 meetings afford to provincial oratory ; lampoons and 

 squibs were most unsparingly issued, and some 

 of them so humorously written, as to have been long 

 retained in the memory of the men of that day : but 

 Time, the assuager of all conflicts, whether concern- 

 ing highways or empires has long since laid the 

 heroes of this scene, as well as their lampoons, in 

 the silent grave, and smiles in scorn at the ephemeral 

 contest. But to us, men with earthly passions, it does 

 seem strange, that a line so comparatively level and 

 straight as the rejected one, should have given way 



