Tollhouse, Hunnington

In 1727, an Act of Parliament was passed empowering a committee of local gentry and tradesmen to charge tolls in order to repair the road from Dudley, through Halesowen to Bromsgrove. They built tollhouses like this one at Grange Hill, where the toll-keeper charged 1s. for a six-horse coach, 8d. for a four-horse coach, 4d. for a two-horse coach and 2d. for a one-horse coach. Five-horse wagons were charged 8d., four-horse wagons 6d., three-horse wagons 4d. and wagons with less than three horses 3d. Horses were charged 1d., cattle 10d. a score and sheep 5d. a score.

Turnpike Acts gave trustees the power to charge for the repair of local roads for periods of 21 years only. The last Act for the Bromsgrove to Dudley turnpike expired in 1876 and the toll-keeper's house at Grange Hill was sold to Lord Dudley for £80. Maintenance of local roads eventually became the responsibility of the new County Councils, set up in 1889.