CHAP. III. TIIK STATE OF THE ROADS. 1D3 



on the borders of the Moor, that the introduction of the 

 first curt in that district is remembered by many now 

 living, and the bridges were shortly afterwards widened 

 to accommodate the wheeled vehicles. 



But the primitive features of the district are perhaps 

 best represented by the interesting little town of Chag- 

 tord, situated in the valley of the North Teign, an ancient 

 stannary and market town, backed by a wide stretch of 

 moor. The houses of the place are built of moor stone 

 grey, ancient-looking, and substantial some with 

 projecting porch and parvise room over, and granite- 

 mullioned windows ; the ancient church, built of granite, 

 with a stout old steeple of the same material, its em- 

 battled porch and granite-groined vault springing from 

 low columns with Norman-looking capitals, forming 

 the sturdy centre of this ancient town clump. A post- 

 chaise is still a phenomenon in the place, the roads and 

 lanes leading to it being so steep and rugged as to be 

 but ill adapted for springed vehicles of any sort. The 

 upland road or track to Tavistock scales an almost pre- 

 cipitous hill, and though well enough adapted for the 

 pack-horse of the last century, is quite unfitted for the 

 cart and waggon traffic of this. Hence the horse with 

 panniers maintains its ground in the Chagford district, 

 and the double-horse, furnished with a pillion for the 

 lady riding behind, is still to be met with in the country 

 roads. Among the patriarchs of the hills the straight- 

 Invasted blue coat may yet be seen, with the shoe 

 fastened with buckle and strap, as in the days when 

 George III. was king ; and old women are still found 

 retaining the cloak and hood of their youth. Old agri- 

 cultural implements continue in use. The slide or 

 slrdge is seen in the fields; the flail, with its mono- 

 tonous strokes, resounds from the barn-floors; the corn 

 is silted by the windstow the wind merely blowing 

 a\\ ay the chaff from the grain when shaken out of sieves 

 by the motion of the hand on some elevated spot; the 



VOL. I. O 



