The trustees of the road, (Sir Rowland Winn, —— Smith and W. Roebuck, Esqrs.) meeting at Wakefield, to let part of the road leading to Pontefract, and likewise from Wakefield to Doncaster, Metcalf took three miles and an half which lay between Hag-Bridge and Pontefract, and one mile and an half on the Doncaster road, from Crofton through Foulby; all which he completed. The road from Wakefield, to Pontefract, Doncaster, and Halifax, being under the management of one company of trustees, Mr. Allen Johnson was treasurer for one part, John Mills, Esq; for another, both of Wakefield; and Mr. Valentine Stead, and Mr. William Cook, for the other parts: By the payment of these four gentlemen he received six thousand four hundred pounds.
A road was then advertised to be let from Wakefield to Austerland, intended to lead through Horbury, Almondbury, Huddersfield, Marsden, and Saddleworth. A meeting was held at Huddersfield, for the purpose. Sir John Kaye, Colonel Radcliffe, ’Squire Farrer, and several other gentlemen attended, and Metcalf agreed with them from Black-Moor Foot to Marsden, and from thence to Standish-Foot; also from Lupset-Gate, thro’ Horbury, about two miles and an half. At that time none of the road was marked out, except between Marsden and Standish-Foot, leading over a common called Pule and Standish: the surveyor took it over deep marshes; but Metcalf not expecting it to have been carried that way, thought it a great hardship, and complained to the gentlemen, alledging it would be a much greater expence: they answered, that if he could make a complete road, he should not be a loser; and they were of opinion, that it would be necessary to dig the earth quite out of the marshes, until they came to a solid bottom.—Metcalf, on calculating that each marsh, upon an average, being three yards deep, and fourteen broad, would make two hundred and ninety-four solid yards of earth in every rood, which, to have carried away, would have been extremely tedious and expensive—and not only so, but that the road lying East and West, would fill with snow in winter, (as it usually falls in that direction, when the wind is in the North)—argued the point privately with the surveyor and several of the gentlemen: but they all seemed immoveable in their former opinion. Metcalf then appeared at the public meeting, and the subject was again brought forward; but knowing that it would be to little purpose to hold a contest with them, he said, “Gentlemen, as you seem to have a great deal of business before you to-day, it appears quite unnecessary to trespass upon your time on this head:—I propose to make the road over the marshes, after my own plan; and if it does not answer, I will be at the expence of making it over again, after your’s:” which was consented to. And as he had engaged to make nine miles of the road in ten months, he began in six different parts, with near four hundred men employed. One of the places was Pule and Standish common, which he cast fourteen yards wide, and raised in a circular form. Water in several places ran across the road, which he carried off by drains; but found the greatest difficulty in conveying stones to the places for the purpose, on account of the softness of the ground. Numbers of clothiers usually going that way to Huddersfield market, were by no means sparing in their censure, and held much diversity of opinion relative to its completion. But Metcalf got the piece levelled to the end, and then ordered his men to bind heather, or ling, in round bundles, and directed them to lay it on the intended road, by placing the bundles in squares of four, and laying another upon each square, pressing them well down. He then brought broad-wheeled carts, and began to load stone and gravel for covering. When the first load was brought and laid on, and the horses had gone off in safety, the company huzza’d from surprise. They completed the whole of this length, which was about half a mile; and it was so particularly fine, that any person might have gone over it in winter, unshod, without being wet. This piece of road needed no repairs for twelve years afterwards. Having finished the nine miles within the limited time, he took three miles from Standish to Thurston Clough, which he completed;—and afterwards six miles and an half from Sir John Kaye’s seat to Huddersfield; and from thence to Longroyd and Bridge toll-bar, about a mile and an half;—also four bridges, their spans twenty-four feet each; together with six bridges, the spans of which were nine feet each. When all this work was finished, (the gentlemen having promised that he should be no loser) a meeting was called, and Metcalf attended: he assured them that the work he had completed extra to his first bargain, in the marshes and other places, deserved five hundred pounds: after some debate, he was allowed three hundred pounds; though it was well worth the first-named sum. He had made about twenty-one miles in the whole, for which he received four thousand five hundred pounds.
In the building of bridges, where the foundations were bad, he laid on a sufficient thickness of ling where it could be got, otherwise of wheat straw; he next laid planks five inches thick, with square mortises cut through; and driving in a number of piles, he made the foundation secure.—He then laid springs for the arch upon the planks, which caused all to settle regularly when the weight came on. And though he built many arches, of different sizes, by taking this method none ever fell.
He undertook three turnpike-houses upon the Wakefield and Austerland roads, and completed them all. Believing there was a stone-quarry on the South-East side of Huddersfield, in ground belonging to Sir John Ramsden, he bored secretly in the night-time before he undertook the road, and was successful in finding it. After finishing the road, having some vacant time, and having likewise discovered the quarry, Sir John gave him liberty to lead away stone. He now took houses to build, particularly one belonging to Mr. Marmaduke Hebdin, nine yards wide, twenty-three yards long, and twenty-one feet from the foundation to the square of the building;—it had twenty chimnies or pipes: And this he also completed.
He undertook the road from Dock-Lane head, in Yorkshire, to Ashton-under-Line, in Lancashire; also from the guide-post near the latter place, to Stockport, in Cheshire; and also between Stockport and Mottram-Longdale: the whole length being eighteen miles. He set men to work in different parts, with horses and carts to each company; and though he lost twenty horses in one winter, he was not discouraged; observing that “horse-leather had been dear a long time, but he hoped now to reduce the price.” Notwithstanding this misfortune, he completed the whole, including a great number of drains and arches, which were all done to the satisfaction of the trustees and surveyor; and received for the work four thousand five hundred pounds.
He then took eight miles more which required several drains and arches.—He raised one hollow nine yards, and built sufficiently on each side to keep up the earth, with battlements on the top; for which he received two thousand pounds.
One day being met by Sir Geo. Warren, who inquired if he was at leisure, and being answered in the affirmative, he desired to see him at his house at Poynton. Metcalf went, and agreed to make about five miles of a private road through the Park.—He took twelve or fourteen horses of his own, and brought large quantities of stone into Sir George’s grounds, for the use of draining. For this he received several hundred pounds, and great favours also from Sir George and his lady.
A road was to be made between Whaley and Buxton, in Derbyshire, to avoid a hill: it went over a tedious piece of ground called Peeling Moss; the whole road being four miles in length, with some part strong rock, which was to be blasted with gunpowder.—In taking this road, Metcalf met with strong opposition from a son of one of the commissioners; but Peter Legh, Esq; of Lyme, and another gentleman, supporting Metcalf, he gained the point, and completed the undertaking, with several drains and fence walls; for which he received near eleven hundred pounds.
He next took a mile and an half of High-Flats, between Huddersfield and Sheffield; and finished it likewise, to the amount of three hundred pounds.
Eight miles of road were next advertised to be made between Huddersfield and Halifax. A meeting was held, and several persons attended with estimates for making it. One part was very rocky, and full of hollows, and the ground in a very bad situation, particularly between Elland and Saltershebble, and through a place called Grimscar Wood, which was very boggy and rough. Many were of opinion that it was impossible to make a road over that ground. But by building up the hollows, and lowering the hills, Metcalf accomplished it:—And it is worthy of remark, that he never undertook any road which he did not complete, altho’ he has taken many which persons who had their sight durst not engage in. He finished the road, with a great number of fence walls and drains, to the satisfaction of the surveyors and trustees, and received for it two thousand seven hundred and eleven pounds.