l66 ON THE TRACK OF THE MAIL-COACH 



That road started from Holborn, and included what 

 was Gray's Lane, and is now Gray's Inn Eoad, on the 

 way to King's Cross. Then, passing St. Pancras old 

 church on the eastern side, it followed what I believe 

 to have been Maiden Lane (now known as York Eoad) 

 to Highgate, and went by Crouch End, Hornsey 

 Great Park, Muswell Hill, Colney Hatch, and Fryern 

 Barnet to Whetstone, whence it was continued by the 

 existing road to High Barnet. 



This ancient highway may easily still be traced, 

 being for the most part, except about Fryern Barnet, 

 a spacious, well-made thoroughfare; but in Elizabeth's 

 time it was girth-deep in mud and full of holes, from 

 the early autumn to the late spring months. 



All who are acquainted with the St. Albans road 

 through Barnet will call to mind the dip on Finchley 

 Common, near Brown's Wells — a favourite rendezvous 

 of the highwayman Dick Turpin. 



A Scotchman, in the middle of the last century, had 

 bought very cheaply a fine well-bred hack, with the 

 intention of riding on horseback, like Lord Monboddo, 

 all the way to Edinburgh. There was no discoverable 

 blemish to account for the low price accepted. 



All went well through Highgate and to the edge of 

 Finchley Common, when, descending the dip, the rider 

 observed another horseman approaching. The Scotch 

 gentleman's horse at once sidled up to the new-comer, 

 as though he would ride him down, and behaved in so 

 menacing a way that the stranger promptly produced 

 his purse. Explanations and apologies ensued. 



