Berwick, Norham and Islandshires Turnpike Trust

The Berwick, Norham and Islandshires Turnpike Trust can be traced back to an Act of Parliament (26 Geo2 c.82) in 1753.^[1] The Turnpike Trust was responsible for the section of the Great North Road, from Buckton Burn (about 3 miles north of Belford) to Berwick-upon Tweed. Historically, the Great North Road was the principal route between London and Edinburgh. The road south of Buckton Burn to near Newcastle was covered by the Cow Causey and Buckton Burn Turnpike Trust, which was created two years earlier. Note: at the time of the act, Bedlingtonshire, Norhamshire and Islandshire, were a detatched part of the County Palentine of Durham, someimes known as North Durham. It wasn't until 1844, that they were made part of Northumberland. One source lists the Berwick and North Durham Turnpike Trust as an alternative name of this trust - but it isn't totally clear if this is the same entity, seperate, or a consolidation of trusts. The North Durham Turnpike Trust built the road west from Berwick towards Cornhill-on-Tweed and Kelso in Scotland - building the Union Chain Bridge over the River Tweed in 1820, connecting Horncliffe in England with Fishwick in Scotland.

Berwick Roads Act 1753

An Act for repairing the Road from the Turnpike Road at Buckton Burn in the County of Durham, through Berwick upon Tweed, to Lammerton Hill; and also the several other Roads therein mentioned, lying in the said County, and within the Liberties of the said Town of Berwick.^[2]