The Holyhead Road

Click for larger version.

Contrary to popular belief the Holyhead Road does not follow entirely the course of Watling Street, or the A5 as it has now become.

At Weedon in Northamptonshire the Holyhead Road turn left towards Daventry on what is today the A45. After passing through that town it continues on through Coventry to Birmingham where it becomes the A41. The Holyhead Road then continues through Wolverhampton to Kingswood, near Albrighton, where it becomes the A464 towards Shifnal.

The Road continues on passing Priorslee, where a section now lies under the M54 and part has become a factory service road, rejoining Watling Street between Oakengates and Ketley. A few miles past Wellington Watling Street deviates to the south to its terminus at Wroxeter whilst the Holyhead Road continues on to Shrewsbury, Gobowen and into North Wales.

Following the Act of Union betwen Britain and Ireland in 1801 it was realised that communications between Westminster and Holyhead (the packet port for Dublin and Ireland) needed to to be improved. After numerous reports and prevarication Parliament commissioned Thomas Telford to survey the route and offer recommendations.

Work continued until the early 1830s eventually providing one of the best roads in the country.

Most of the Holyhead Road continues in use although it's position as the primary road between London and Holyhead has been superceded, firstly by the railways and more recently by the motorway and major trunk road network.

A section of road to Telford's specification has been built within Blist's Hill Museum and the toll house from Shelton has been dismantled and rebuilt alongside. Other toll houses remain in situ as private residences.