Kirklees Bar stood on the road to Brighouse near the Corn Mill.
This section of road formed part of the Dewsbury to
Elland turnpike. Turnpike roads came about by an act of parliament passed in 1667 allowing entrepreneurs and locally formed trusts to build roads and charge travellers for passage. Prior
to this no formal road system had really existed since Roman times. The advent of turnpikes saw the beginnings of a true road network and for the first time the opportunity to travel
the country with relative ease. Barhouses like the one above would be located at points along the turnpikes to "Bar" the way until a toll fee had been paid. Although the toll was long
abolished Kirklees bar was still standing in the 1960's.
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