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up the communications of the countries they subdued； and the roads
which they made were among the best of their kind。 They were
skilfully laid out and solidly constructed。 For centuries after
the Romans left England； their roads continued to be the main
highways of internal communication； and their remains are to this
day to be traced in many parts of the country。 Settlements were
made and towns sprang up along the old 〃streets；〃 and the numerous
Stretfords； Stratfords； and towns ending' in 〃le…street〃
as Ardwick…le…street； in Yorkshire； and Chester…le…street；
in Durhammostly mark the direction of these ancient lines of road。
There are also numerous Stanfords； which were so called because they
bordered the raised military roadways of the Romans； which ran
direct between their stations。
The last…mentioned peculiarity of the roads constructed by the
Romans； must have struck many observers。 Level does not seem to
have been of consequence； compared with directness。 This
peculiarity is supposed to have originated in an imperfect
knowledge of mechanics； for the Romans do not appear to have been
acquainted with the moveable joint in wheeled carriages。
The carriage…body rested solid upon the axles； which in four…wheeled
vehicles were rigidly parallel with each other。 Being unable
readily to turn a bend in the road； it has been concluded that for
this reason all the great Roman highways were constructed in as
straight lines as possible。
On the departure of the Romans from Britain； most of the roads
constructed by them were allowed to fall into decay； on which the
forest and the waste gradually resumed their dominion over them；
and the highways of England became about the worst in Europe。
We find； however； that numerous attempts were made in early times
to preserve the ancient ways and enable a communication to be
maintained between the metropolis and the rest of the country；
as well as between one market town and another。
The state of the highways may be inferred from the character of
the legislation applying to them。 One of the first laws on the
subject was passed in 1285； directing that all bushes and trees
along the roads leading from one market to another should be cut
down for two hundred feet on either side； to prevent robbers
lurking therein；*＇1＇ but nothing was proposed for amending the
condition of the ways themselves。 In 1346； Edward III。
authorised the first toll to be levied for the repair of the
roads leading from St。 Giles's…in…the…Fields to the village of
Charing （now Charing Cross）； and from the same quarter to near
Temple Bar （down Drury Lane）； as well as the highway then called
Perpoole （now Gray's Inn Lane）。 The footway at the entrance of
Temple Bar was interrupted by thickets and bushes； and in wet
weather was almost impassable。 The roads further west were so
bad that when the sovereign went to Parliament faggots were
thrown into the ruts in King…street； Westminster； to enable the
royal cavalcade to pass along。
In Henry VIII。's reign； several remarkable statutes were passed
relating to certain worn…out and impracticable roads in Sussex and
the Weald of Kent。 From the earliest of these； it would appear
that when the old roads were found too deep and miry to be passed；
they were merely abandoned and new tracks struck out。 After
describing 〃many of the wayes in the wealds as so depe and noyous
by wearyng and course of water and other occasions that people
cannot have their carriages or passages by horses uppon or by the
same but to their great paynes； perill and jeopardie；〃 the Act
provided that owners of land might； with the consent of two
justices and twelve discreet men of the hundred； lay out new roads
and close up the old ones。 Another Act passed in the same reign；
related to the repairs of bridges and of the highways at the ends
of bridges。
But as these measures were for the most part merely permissive；
they could have had but little practical effect in improving the
communications of the kingdom。 In the reign of Philip and Mary
（in 1555）； an Act was passed providing that each parish should elect
two surveyors of highways to see to the maintenance of their
repairs by compulsory labour； the preamble reciting that
〃highwaies are now both verie noisome and tedious to travell in；
and dangerous to all passengers and cariages；〃 and to this day
parish and cross roads are maintained on the principle of Mary's
Act； though the compulsory labour has since been commuted into a
compulsory tax。
In the reigns of Elizabeth and James； other road Acts were passed；
but； from the statements of contemporary writers； it would appear
that they were followed by very little substantial progress； and
travelling continued to be attended with many difficulties。 Even in
the neighbourhood of the metropolis； the highways were in certain
seasons scarcely passable。 The great Western road into London was
especially bad； and about Knightsbridge； in winter； the traveller
had to wade through deep mud。 Wyatt's men entered the city by this
approach in the rebellion of 1554； and were called the 〃draggle…tails〃
because of their wretched plight。 The ways were equally bad as far
as Windsor； which； in the reign of Elizabeth； is described by Pote；
in his history of that town； as being 〃not much past half a day's
journeye removed from the flourishing citie of London。〃
At a greater distance from the metropolis； the roads were still
worse。 They were in many cases but rude tracks across heaths and
commons； as furrowed with deep ruts as ploughed fields； and in
winter to pass along one of them was like travelling in a ditch。
The attempts made by the adjoining occupiers to mend them； were for
the most part confined to throwing large stones into the bigger
holes to fill them up。 It was easier to allow new tracks to be
made than to mend the old ones。 The land of the country was still
mostly unenclosed； and it was possible； in fine weather； to get
from place to place； in one way or another； with the help of a
guide。 In the absence of bridges； guides were necessary to point
out the safest fords as well as to pick out the least miry tracks。
The most frequented lines of road were struck out from time to time
by the drivers of pack…horses； who； to avoid the bogs and sloughs；
were usually careful to keep along the higher grounds； but； to
prevent those horsemen who departed from the beaten track being
swallowed up in quagmires； beacons were erected to warn them
against the more dangerous places。*＇2＇
In some of the older…settled districts of England； the old roads
are still to be traced in the hollow Ways or Lanes； which are to
be met with； in some places； eight and ten feet deep。 They were
horse…tracks in summer； and rivulets in winter。 By dint of
weather and travel； the earth was gradually worn into these deep
furrows； many of which； in Wilts； Somerset； and Devon； represent
the tracks of roads as old as； if not older than； the Conquest。
When the ridgeways of the earliest settlers on Dartmoor； above
alluded to； were abandoned； the tracks were formed through the
valleys； but the new roads were no better than the old ones。
They were narrow and deep； fitted only for a horse passing along
laden with its crooks； as so graphically described in the ballad
of 〃The Devonshire Lane。〃*＇3＇
Similar roads existed until recently in the immediate neighbourhood
of Birmingham； now the centre of an immense traffic。 The sandy
soil was sawn through； as it were； by generation after generation
of human feet； and by packhorses； helped by the rains； until in
some places the tracks were as much as from twelve to fourteen
yards deep； one of these； partly filled up； retaining to this day
the name of Holloway Head。 In the neighbourhood of London there
was also a Hollow way； which now gives its name to a populous
metropolitan parish。 Hagbush Lane was another of such roads。
Before the formation of the Great North Road； it was one of the
principal bridle…paths leading from London to the northern parts of
England； but it was so narrow as barely to afford passage for more
than a single horseman； and so deep that the rider's head was
beneath the level of the ground on either side。
The roads of Sussex long preserved an infamous notoriety。
Chancellor Cowper； when a barrister on circuit； wrote to his wife
in 1690； that 〃the Sussex ways are bad and ruinous beyond
imagination。 I vow 'tis melancholy consideration that mankind will
in habit such a heap of dirt for a poor livelihood。 The country is
a sink of about fourteen miles broad； which receives all the water
that falls from two long ranges of hills on both sides of it；
and not being furnished with convenient draining； is kept moist
and soft by the water till the middle of a dry summer； which is only
able to make it tolerable to ride for a short time。〃
It was almost as difficul