[appointment Of Surveyors Of Highways For The Town And Port Of Hythe, In Kent, 1764]..
Folded, with seals turned down on left hand edge. Some browning and fraying of edges and creases of folds. Ink stains and a few random lines on verso. Small closed tear to foot of document, not affecting legibility. Otherwise in fine condition.
£200.00
Details
HYTHE HIGHWAY SURVEYORS, 1764
Publisher
Printed for J. Coles, Stationer in Fleet-Street, [London].,
Date
-175
Synopsis
At a special sessions held at the guildhall for the said town and port of hythe in the county of kent aforesaid the fourteenth-day of january in the fourth year of...george the third... by the reverend richard smith and others- - - justices of the peace... by vertue of an act of parliament...of......1691. entitled, an act for the better repairing and amending the high-ways, and settling the rates of carriage of goods, the said justices, do nominate and appoint you william ogle and william pledge of the parish of saint leonard in the said towne and port of hythe... to be surveyor of the highways within your said parish... [manuscript title on verso is] 1764. janry. 14th surveyors warrant.
Item Description
Letterpress with space for manuscript insertions. 15.5 x 20 inches. One leaf.
Notes
A pre-printed form for the appointment of Surveyors of Highways under the terms of the Highways Act of 1691, including a detailed account of its provisions, with relevant sections of other acts, and the corresponding duties of the surveyors. William Ogle and William Pledge are nominated to this office for a term of one year, with a responsibility to provide 'an Account upon Oath of all Money that hath come to your Hands, which ought to be employed in the Amending the High-ways, and how you have disposed of the same.' The appointment is made by the Reverend Richard Smith and other JPs and the document bears the signatures and seals of Smith (who was also Mayor), Thomas Rogers and John Mercer. Provisions are made for the regular viewing of the roads and their repair together with the maintenance of adjoining hedges and ditches. The number of horses drawing hired wagons was not to exceed six (or three for carts) and the width of wheels was also regulated. The Surveyors were to call, on 26 December, a meeting of the 'Constables, Headboroughs, Tything-Men, Church-wardens, and Inhabitants' of Hythe and draw up a list of all substantial property owners and tenants, from whom the next surveyors would be chosen early in January. It is of interest that the trust for the new turnpike road from Faversham to Hythe had been established in 1762, two years before the two highway surveyors were appointed to oversee the roads within the parish. The turnpike trusts would take over the duty of maintaining these roads, funded by the tolls, but in co-operation with the highway surveyors who were responsible for all the parish roads; their office continued in some areas until the passage of the Local Government Act of 1894.
[Stock No. 22388]
