1750s: a movement all over the country to improve the (awful) roads.
Valentine Morris (of Piercefield in Chepstow) promoted various Acts of Parliament for building or improving Monmouthshire roads.

Usk was one of 7 turnpike areas in the county. Improved roads were built by Turnpike Trusts and paid for by tolls levied on users (just like the Severn Bridge toll today, they were widely disliked).

The Monmouth Road was one of the new turnpike roads. Ty Basket is one of several surviving toll houses in Usk.