Water trough - Utley, Keighley

This water trough is opposite Gallaghers Funeral Directors on Skipton Road, Utley, Keighley. The inscription K&K T-R 1825 refers to the Kendal to Keighley Turnpike road. The road from Barr House Lane to Spring Gardens Lane was built between 1824 and 1826 (See my blip of 14th June).

"In The Kings Highway In Craven (John Briggs 1927) the author writes about the new road from Keighley to Hawkcliffe beginning at The Flosh (Spring Gardens Lane) and ending at a new junction with the original road at the beginning of Hawkcliffe Wood [Bar House Lane]. He wrote the work commenced in 1824 completed 1826. He gives quite a lot of detail regarding the difficulty of getting to Utley on what was previously a track before the improvements of 1824 as well as the original road to Hawkcliffe Wood down Bar House Lane." Quote from an email on the Keighley History Forum.

I have found 4 phases of roads from Steeton to Keighley, the first is the medieval route via Hollins Lane and Spring Gardens Lane, the second the Kendal and Keighley Turnpike which developed Bar House Lane of 1733, this improvement via Utley of 1825 and of course the more recent A650 Dual Carriageway from the 1990s.

In researching this I have found a reference to more milestones etc just up the road, so watch out for further blips.....