Rules for good conduct on the Roads

A regular feature of the printed Presentments of the Grand Jury was a list of rules for good conduct on the roads. The following text is taken from the presentment of 1840.

"Section 157 enacts that no house or part of a house shall be built within thirty feet of the centre of any road, or fifteen feet of the side thereof; and no limekiln or windmill within 100 feet of the centre[of the road].

Section 159 enacts that persons digging away the sides of the road, or interfering with the drains thereof, or taking sods, gravel, stones, &c., from any road, or scraping the same without consent of County Surveyor or Contractor, are liable to be fined twenty shillings by any Justice of the Peace, on view or on the evidence of one witness.

[The] same section enacts a like [similar] fine of twenty shillings on persons:
Omitting to scour drains leading from any public road, within ten days after notice so to do, from surveyor or contractor, and a similar fine for obstructing the water, by making or leaving a passage into lands adjoining, without a sewer, or for riding or driving on the footpath.

Road Transport image

Illustration of a carriage and horseman travelling on the road taken from the Illustrated London News.

Carlow County Library

Road Transport image
Carlow County Library

Road Transport image

Illustration of a carriage and horseman travelling on the road taken from the Illustrated London News.

Carlow County Library

Enlarge image

Or on any person who shall steep or dry flax

Or burn bricks, or lime, or weeds, &c.

Or cut turf, or make any turf stack

Or build any wall, or make any ditch

Or dig any pit or drain

Or lay any dirt, dung, turf, straw, rubbish or scourings

Or any stones, brick, timber, sand, clay, or lime

Or spread a cloth to winnow corn

Or leave a dead beast

Or beat flax, thresh, or winnow corn

Or who shall make any kind of fire, leave any plough, harrow, cart, car, dray, or carriage on any public road.

Or erect any May-pole, bush or signpost on any public road.

Or keep any dog without a block of five pounds weight to his neck, within fifty yards of any public road.

Or draw any timber, boards, or iron, with either end projecting two feet beyond the wheels or sides.

Or draw any timber or stone along a road, not supported by wheels from touch same.