TOWARDS TIIK I-:NI> <>F I-\ST crATrny. 203 



l>y ovortlmws or breakings-down. They will here meet 

 with ruts, which f actually measured four feet deep, and 

 floating with mud only from a wet summer. What, 

 therefore, must it he 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." l 



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 Went- 

 worth Hall, where he had been on a visit to Earl Fitz- 

 william, and took the road for London in his carriage. 

 Wlien 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 compara- 

 tively recent period. 



\Ve may briefly refer to the several stages of improve- 

 ment if improvement it could be called in the most 

 frequented highways of the kingdom, and to the action 

 of the legislature with reference to the extension of turn- 

 pi kes. The trade and industry of the country had been 

 stradily 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 2 authorising the first toll-gates or turn- 

 pikes to be erected, at which collectors were stationed to 

 levy small sums from those using the road, for the 



1 'A Six Months' Tour through the North of En^lainl,' vol. iv., i>. 431. 

 2 Act 15 Car. II., c. 1. 



