124 History of Inland Transport 



Lighters, Barges or flat-bottomed Vessels out of its Channel 

 into the Trent." In fair weather these vessels, taking on their 

 cargo at Bawtry, could continue the journey from Stockwith, 

 where the Trent was entered, to Hull ; but otherwise the 

 cargo was transhipped at Stockwith into vessels of up to 

 2oo-ton burthen, which were able to pass from the Humber 

 along the Trent as far as Stockwith whether laden or empty. 

 By means of this navigation, to quote again from Defoe : 



" The Town of Bautry becomes the Center of all the Exporta- 

 tion of this Part of the Country, especially for heavy Goods, 

 which they bring down hither from all the adjacent Countries, 

 such as Lead, from the Lead Mines and Smelting-Houses in 

 Derbyshire, wrought Iron and Edge-Tools, of all Sorts, from 

 the Forges at Sheffield, and from the Country call'd Hallam- 

 shire, being adjacent to the Towns of Sheffield and Rotheram, 

 where an innumerable Number of People are employed. Also 

 Millstones and Grindstones, in very great Quantities, are 

 brought down and shipped off here, and so carry 'd by Sea 

 to Hull, and to London, and even to Holland also. This 

 makes Bautry Wharf be famous all over the South Part of the 

 West Riding of Yorkshire, for it is the Place whither all their 

 heavy Goods are carried, to be embarked and shipped off." 



One can thus well credit Hunter's statement that there 

 appear to have been several persons residing at Bawtry in the 

 Middle Ages who had been enriched by the commerce of " the 

 port," as the place was, in fact, described in the Hundred 

 Rolls ; but when one thinks of the great extent of the indus- 

 tries of the Sheffield district as carried on at the present day, 

 it is certainly interesting to learn of the conditions under which 

 they were developed, and the circuitous route by which 

 their products once reached London and the markets of the 

 world. 



The industries grew, however, in spite of all the difficulties 

 in transport. The iron trade had existed in Hallamshire 

 since the reign of Henry II. (1154-1189). Sheffield cutlery 

 was well known in the Middle Ages. It was in high repute in 

 Queen Elizabeth's time. In the early part of the eighteenth 

 century the industries of the district were increasing at a 

 greater rate than ever. In 1721 the weight of Hallamshire 

 manufactures sent in the direction of the Humber was 13,000 

 tons ; and the greater proportion of this quantity must have 



