| Richmond to Lancaster Turnpike | |
|---|---|
 Milestone on the B6255 | |
| Route information | |
| Length | 58 mi (93 km) |
| Existed | 1751–1878 |
| Major junctions | |
| East end | Richmond54°24′11″N 1°44′13″W / 54.403°N 1.737°W |
| West end | Lancashire54°02′49″N 2°48′04″W / 54.047°N 2.801°W |
| Location | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Road network | |
The Richmond to Lancaster Turnpike, was a road that was opened in the second half of the 18th century between Richmond, in the North Riding of Yorkshire and Lancaster in Lancashire, Northern England. The turnpike was built to allow goods to be taken from Yorkshire (and later County Durham) to the port of Lancaster. It was approved in 1751, but was not wholly completed until 1774.
Initially, the turnpike used existing or Roman roads that were resurfaced and widened to enable them to take horse-drawn coaches. The road crossed over from Wensleydale into Ribblesdale via Cam High Road from Bainbridge, using a Roman Road built to connect two Roman forts. In the 1790s the route was diverted away from Cam High Road through Hawes, and this accelerated the decline of Askrigg as a market town, with Hawes taking its place.
Most of the road is still in use as modern roads.