PfKES AND MILESTONES. 75 



wrapt in some mystery ; before they were- estab- 

 lished the inhabitants of the various parishes through 

 which roads or highways passed were bound to repair 

 them, but under some ancient system of tenures the 

 lord of the soil frequently claimed the privilege of 

 receiving tolls from all who travelled along his high- 

 way. Nor was this esteemed a mere bounty, for he 

 was liable, in consideration *of such toll, to keep the 

 way in good order, and in some places even to defend 

 the passengers from depredation. Acts of Parliament 

 relating to turnpikes are to be found in the reign of 

 George 11. , and indeed earlier ; but in the reign of 

 George III. an Act was passed, which was known as 

 ' The General Turnpike Eoad Act.' This, however, 

 was superseded by the General Turnpike Act now 

 in existence, passed in the reign of George IV., and 

 embodying the provisions of the previous repealed 

 Acts. 



In addition to the tolls which constituted a fund 

 for the maintenance of the roads, there also was the 

 benej&t derived from what was known by the term of 

 ' statute labour,' which imposed upon certain persons 

 the duty of providing an amount of labour or cartage 

 of materials in the course of the year, or payment of 

 a composition in money in lieu of it. Statute labour 

 and money compositions in lieu of it for the three 

 years previous to 1837 amounted to upwards of 



