Colin Bryant Collection - Courtesy of Rushden Museum

Dial Farm sundial and cottages beyond. Cart is standing at track to abattoir. The Co-op bought farm and abattoir.

The old Turnpike Road (Southwards) starting from Mannings-lane on the left towards Bedford, which I understand used to be very flooded in stormy weather, on the right there is Dial Farm. The late Mr Charles Bayes told me that some of the old coach horses used to be stabled there, and I believe the Rev. Chas Spurgeon preached in a field adjoining about the year 1866 – the time Mr George Day was farmer.

Manor Farm

On the left is so called “Manor Farm” and I fancy the house used be the “Manor House” for two reasons, one because of the old panelled room, which might have been the old Court-room, and because the only mention I have seen of Manor-house states that it was built in the reign of James I, the date 1606 (III James I) corresponds with that.

The old-fashioned cottage on the right built in 1836 is picturesque. On the left against the first hill in the small grass (town) field where the cattle used to be shod on their way to the London markets; I am told that the sides of the road used to be in an awful state through so many beasts going along.

In the Oak Pits (allotment) field near the second hill is where the brickworks used to be, and soon after passing the Wymington turn we come to where the old “Salt-box” stood on the left of the turnpike, near the north corner of the road to Newton. The toll-gate was called “Park-Leys side gate” and Benjamin Pettitt was keeper in 1821.

Bencroft Grange c1940's

Then we come to “Bencroft” Hill (south of Rushden) and Bencroft Lodge on the right. A Mr Cooke lived here in 1852 when he presented an organ (the first) to Rushden Church. A coach was snowed up near this lodge; Mr Mole of Souldrop informed me that he saw it as he was walking from Riseley (when he then tried) to Wellingborough. H Luke’s Son and John Sharman lived at the lodge in 1814.

Near the boundary of the county stood the old Westwood Tollgate house on the left, and on the opposite side was the Weighing Machine.

Mr Chas Bayes bought the gate and it was taken down on November 30 1876. A blacksmith (Mr A Ginns) cleared away the weighing machine. The old Tollgate house, like the Salt-box was a one-storied building. The last keeper of Westwood gate was Mr George Bird.

The old road looked gay on the magnificently fine morning when hundreds of people went up to get a glimpse of the aeroplane which came on July 24^th 1911. It was a remarkable sight too, the day after the great blizzard which took place in March last (27^th & 28^th) to see so many telegraph poles lying across the highway. J Enos Smith, 22 Church St. August 4^th 1916 “Argus” [He probably wrote this article for the Argus newspaper. Ed]

Street Surveys & Notes