the life of thomas telford-第14章

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believed；　the　proposal　to　form　a　turnpike…road　from　Chelmsford　to

Tilbury　was　resisted　〃by　the　Bruins　of　the　country；　　whose　horses

were　worried　to　death　with　bringing　chalk　through　those　vile

roads！〃



Arthur　Young　did　not　find　the　turnpike　any　better　between　Bury　and

Sudbury；　in　Suffolk：　〃I　was　forced　to　move　as　slow　in　it；〃　he　says；

〃as　in　any　unmended　lane　in　Wales。　　For；　ponds　of　liquid　dirt；　and

a　　scattering　of　loose　flints　just　sufficient　to　lame　every　horse

that　　moves　near　them；　with　the　addition　of　cutting　vile　grips

across　the　　road　under　the　pretence　of　letting　the　water　off；　but

without　effect；　altogether　render　at　least　twelve　out　of　these

sixteen　miles　as　infamous　a　turnpike　as　ever　was　beheld。〃　　Between

Tetsworth　and　Oxford　he　found　the　so…called　turnpike　abounding　in

loose　stones　as　large　as　one's　head；　full　of　holes；　deep　ruts；　and

withal　so　narrow　that　with　great　difficulty　he　got　his　chaise　out

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　London。　One　fine　May　morning；　at　Selby；　in

Yorkshire；　the　public　bellman　summoned　the　inhabitants　to　assemble

with　their　hatchets　and　axes　that　night　at　midnight；　and　cut　down

the　turnpikes　erected　by　Act　of　Parliament；　nor　were　they　slow　to

act　upon　his　summons。　　Soldiers　were　then　sent　into　the　district　to

protect　the　toll…bars　and　the　toll…takers；　but　this　was　a　difficult

matter；　for　the　toll…gates　were　numerous；　and　wherever　a　〃pike〃　was

left　unprotected　at　night；　it　was　found　destroyed　in　the　morning。

The　Yeadon　and　Otley　mobs；　near　Leeds；　were　especially　violent。　On

the　18th　of　June；　1753；　they　made　quite　a　raid　upon　the　turnpikes；

burning　or　destroying　about　a　dozen　in　one　week。　　A　score　of　the

rioters　were　apprehended；　and　while　on　their　way　to　York　Castle　a

rescue　was　attempted；　when　the　soldiers　were　under　the　necessity　of

firing；　and　many　persons　were　killed　and　wounded。　　The　prejudices

entertained　against　the　turnpikes　were　so　strong；　that　in　some

places　the　country　people　would　not　even　use　the　impr