1 86 THE EXETER ROAD 



water-splash doing on a main road in the flower of 

 the coachino; ao-e, when all the runnels and streams 

 across the mail routes were duly bridged ? But it 

 is not very odd that Dickens should have been so 

 inexact here, for he beo-an Martin Clmzzleivit in 

 1843, and it was not until long after the book was 

 published, in 1848, that he really explored the Exeter 

 Road. Forster tells us that Dickens, in company 

 with himself, Leech, and Lemon, stayed at Salisbury 

 in the March of that year, and ' passed a March day 

 in riding over every part of the Plain ; visiting 

 Stoneheuge, and exploring Hazlitt's "Hut" at 

 Winterslow.' 



It must be obvious how exquisitely fitted, both 

 by reason of its situation and circumstances, ' Winter- 

 slow Hut ' is for the novelist's use, and that, had he 

 explored it before, that wild spot would have found 

 a place in the pages of Martin Chuzzleivit, together 

 with detailed references to some of Salisbury's old 

 coaching inns, of which there were many, this being 

 a meeting-place of several roads, besides being on the 

 great highway to the West. 



So far back as 178G there were three coaches 

 passing through Salisbury on their way from London 

 to Exeter, daily. Firstly, the ' Post Coach ' every 

 morning at eight o'clock, with the up coach to 

 London every afternoon at four o'clock, Saturdays 

 excepted. Secondly, a mail coach, specially adver- 

 tised as carrying a guard all the way, every morning at 

 ten o'clock, Sundays excepted, and the up mail every 

 night at ten o'clock, Saturdays excejDted. Thirdly, 

 a ' Diligence.' which passed through every night 



