The road between Totnes and Newton Abbot was probably built in the early 1800s, and a toll house was constructed in Littlehempston Wood. In 1840 there were over 5000 toll houses operating in England; they were sold off in the 1880s as turnpike trusts were dissolved. Toll houses were all built on roughly the same design, with a distinctive bay front to give the toll collector a clear view of the road, and a flat wall to display the board with the toll rates for different types of traffic.
The Toll House in Littlehempston Wood can be clearly seen on the Dawson watercolour of Littlehempston, and in fact is marked ‘Turnpike Gate House’ at the bottom of the picture.
It was demolished in February 1976, according to ‘Devon Toll Houses’ by John Kanefsky.
Villagers remember a couple called Veale living in it, and when Mr Veale died, a lady called Mary McGrath moved in. She used to clean at The Grattons, and used to refer to walking down ‘Bunkers Hill’ to get there, which was apparently what we now call Silverhead Lane. There used to be lots of cats living in the Toll House. The footings can still be seen by the main road as it runs through Littlehempston Wood, with a large quantity of snowdrops behind the site in spring.
The artist Christine Raikes painted a series of Toll Houses, which, together with this one, used to be displayed in the upper corridor of the West Wing of Dartington Hall.
