The heady pace of nineteenth-century travel!

[pellegrina]

Mrs Soane writes in a copy of Paterson's Roads, 10th ed. (1794):

(Thurs. 2nd Sept. 1813, from Cheltenham)
Malmsbury a poor Town--but one Inn--very dirty, & Bad.--
Cricklade--a poor place--one Inn clean--but bad accommodation--
Oxford--Kings Arms, dirty & uncivil--Angel--better, but not well.
(3rd Sept.)Kingston Inn--between Oxford, & Farrington--

Comments

[parrot_knight]

I think the Angel in Oxford was on High Street, either where the Examination Schools are now or roughly opposite; on the other side of the road from it was its partner-in-meadow, the Greyhound.

[ladyofastolat]

Winchcomb 7 m- from Cheltenham--a clean, comfortable house--civil people

But of course! Winchcombe people are always civil and delightful.

Um... No prizes for guessing the name of my home town. ;-)

[viala_qilarre]

A bit later in the century, Dickens (whose extensive journalism is not anything like as well known as it ought to be) writes a sad account of the terminal decline of the road network, and the many closed or moribund businesses along the old routes. It was clear that roads, and the businesses that road travel supported, were history, swept into irrelevance by the coming of rail.

I find that really amusing, from the vantage point of historical perspective.

(OMG you've got really really tiny text on your comments page. *peers*.)

[pellegrina]

I know I know I know!!! But--only sometimes, for instance it's small but not tiny right now. I have spent HOURS on the style page trying to fix it without abandoning the whole blue lotus layout I also spent HOURS on, and nothing worked, and it was too headache-inducing to face trying again. I keep meaning to try a new layout, but I like my lotus and not many of the layouts let the background show enough for the lotus to fit.

I find it really sad, actually, and reinforced by the closing of so many of the rail stations that occasioned it. Though of course towns would be far worse for having all the traffic still passing through. Nowadays Mrs S. would write: Junction 14--Little Chef--food bad--people uncivil. Junction 48--Comfort-break--Dirty house.