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of the way of the Witney waggons。 〃Barbarous〃 and 〃execrable〃 are
the words which he constantly employs in speaking of the roads；
parish and turnpike； all seemed to be alike bad。 From Gloucester
to Newnham； a distance of twelve miles； he found a 〃cursed road；〃
〃infamously stony；〃 with 〃ruts all the way。〃 From Newnham to
Chepstow he noted another bad feature in the roads； and that was
the perpetual hills； 〃for；〃 he says； 〃you will form a clear idea of
them if you suppose the country to represent the roofs of houses
joined； and the road to run across them。〃 It was at one time even
matter of grave dispute whether it would not cost as little money
to make that between Leominster and Kington navigable as to make
it hard。 Passing still further west； the unfortunate traveller；
who seems scarcely able to find words to express his sufferings；
continues：
〃But； my dear Sir； what am I to say of the roads in
this country！ the turnpikes！ as they have the
assurance to call them and the hardiness to make one
pay for？ From Chepstow to the half…way house between
Newport and Cardiff they continue mere rocky lanes；
full of hugeous stones as big as one's horse； and
abominable holes。 The first six miles from Newport
they were so detestable； and without either
direction…posts or milestones； that I could not well
persuade myself I was on the turnpike； but had
mistook the road； and therefore asked every one I
met； who answered me； to my astonishment； 'Ya…as！'
Whatever business carries you into this country；
avoid it； at least till they have good roads： if they
were good； travelling would be very pleasant。〃*＇5＇
At a subsequent period Arthur Young visited the northern counties；
but his account of the roads in that quarter is not more
satisfactory。 Between Richmond and Darlington he found them like to
〃dislocate his bones；〃 being broken in many places into deep holes；
and almost impassable； 〃yet；〃 says he； 〃the people will drink tea！〃
a decoction against the use of which the traveller is found
constantly declaiming。 The roads in Lancashire made him almost
frantic； and he gasped for words to express his rage。 Of the road
between Proud Preston and Wigan he says： 〃I know not in the whole
range of language terms sufficiently expressive to describe this
infernal road。 Let me most seriously caution all travellers who
may accidentally propose to travel this terrible country； to avoid
it as they would the devil； for a thousand to one they break their
necks or their limbs by overthrows or breakings…down。
They will here meet with ruts； which I actually measured； four feet
deep； and floating with mud only from a wet summer。 What；
therefore； must it be after a winter？ The only mending it receives
is tumbling in some loose stones； which serve no other purpose than
jolting a carriage in the most intolerable manner。 These are not
merely opinions； but facts； for I actually passed three carts
broken down in those eighteen miles of execrable memory。〃*＇6＇
It would even appear that the bad state of the roads in the Midland
counties； about the same time； had nearly caused the death of the
heir to the throne。 On the 2nd of September； 1789； the Prince of
Wales left Wentworth Hall； where he had been on a visit to Earl
Fitzwilliam； and took the road for London in his carriage。 When
about two miles from Newark the Prince's coach was overturned by a
cart in a narrow part of the road； it rolled down a slope； turning
over three times； and landed at the bottom； shivered to pieces。
Fortunately the Prince escaped with only a few bruises and a
sprain； but the incident had no effect in stirring up the local
authorities to make any improvement in the road； which remained in
the same wretched state until a comparatively recent period。
When Palmer's new mail…coaches were introduced； an attempt was made
to diminish the jolting of the passengers by having the carriages
hung upon new patent springs； but with very indifferent results。
Mathew Boulton； the engineer； thus described their effect upon
himself in a journey he made in one of them from London into
Devonshire； in 1787：
〃I had the most disagreeable journey I ever
experienced the night after I left you； owing to the
new improved patent coach； a vehicle loaded with iron
trappings and the greatest complication of
unmechanical contrivances jumbled together； that I
have ever witnessed。 The coach swings sideways； with
a sickly sway without any vertical spring； the point
of suspense bearing upon an arch called a spring；
though it is nothing of the sort； The severity of the
jolting occasioned me such disorder； that I was
obliged to stop at Axminster and go to bed very ill。
However； I was able next day to proceed in a
post…chaise。 The landlady in the London Inn； at
Exeter； assured me that the passengers who arrived
every night were in general so ill that they were
obliged to go supperless to bed； and； unless they go
back to the old…fashioned coach； hung a little lower；
the mail…coaches will lose all their custom。〃*＇7＇
We may briefly refer to the several stages of improvement if
improvement it could be calledin the most frequented highways of
the kingdom； and to the action of the legislature with reference to
the extension of turnpikes。 The trade and industry of the country
had been steadily improving； but the greatest obstacle to their
further progress was always felt to be the disgraceful state of the
roads。 As long ago as the year 1663 an Act was passed*＇8＇
authorising the first toll…gates or turnpikes to be erected； at
which collectors were stationed to levy small sums from those using
the road； for the purpose of defraying the needful expenses of
their maintenance。 This Act； however； only applied to a portion of
the Great North Road between London and York； and it authorised the
new toll…bars to be erected at Wade's Mill in Hertfordshire； at
Caxton in Cambridgeshire； and at Stilton in Huntingdonshire。*＇9＇
The Act was not followed by any others for a quarter of a century；
and even after that lapse of time such Acts as were passed of a
similar character were very few and far between。
For nearly a century more； travellers from Edinburgh to London met
with no turnpikes until within about 110 miles of the metropolis。
North of that point there was only a narrow causeway fit for
pack…horses； flanked with clay sloughs on either side。 It is；
however； stated that the Duke of Cumberland and the Earl of
Albemarle； when on their way to Scotland in pursuit of the rebels
in 1746； did contrive to reach Durham in a coach and six； but there
the roads were found so wretched； that they were under the
necessity of taking to horse； and Mr。 George Bowes； the county
member； made His Royal Highness a present of his nag to enable him
to proceed on his journey。 The roads west of Newcastle were so bad；
that in the previous year the royal forces under General Wade；
which left Newcastle for Carlisle to intercept the Pretender and
his army； halted the first night at Ovingham； and the second at
Hexham； being able to travel only twenty miles in two days。*＇10＇
The rebellion of 1745 gave a great impulse to the construction of
roads for military as well as civil purposes。 The nimble
Highlanders； without baggage or waggons； had been able to cross the
border and penetrate almost to the centre of England before any
definite knowledge of their proceedings had reached the rest of the
kingdom。 In the metropolis itself little information could be
obtained of the movements of the rebel army for several days after
they had left Edinburgh。 Light of foot； they outstripped the
cavalry and artillery of the royal army； which were delayed at all
points by impassable roads。 No sooner； however； was the rebellion
put down； than Government directed its attention to the best means
of securing the permanent subordination of the Highlands； and with
this object the construction of good highways was declared to be
indispensable。 The expediency of opening up the communication
between the capital and the principal towns of Scotland was also
generally admitted； and from that time； though slowly； the
construction of the main high routes between north and south made
steady progress。
The extension of the turnpike system； however； encountered violent
opposition from the people； being regarded as a grievous tax upon
their freedom of movement from place to place。 Armed bodies of men
assembled to destroy the turnpikes； and they burnt down the
toll…houses and blew up the posts with gunpowder。 The resistance
was the greatest in Yorkshire； along the line of the Great North
Road towards Scotland； though riots also took place in
Somersetshire and Gloucestershire； and even in the immediate
neighbourhood of