Communications and roads in and around St. Mary Bourne
The means of travelling were so deficient that few ventured beyond the neighbouring market towns, hunting in the day, and drinking and smoking at night, formed the summary of much of the country life, to which old prints and songs bear testimony. To travel to Andover by cart a distance of five miles took over an hour, the cart was hooded in bad weather and had fixed wooden seats and moved just faster than on foot. It went on Mondays and Fridays (Market days.) The carriers cart was regarded as so much a local institution that, when one day the news came around that his horse had dropped dead in the shafts on a journey, a collection was made in the village to help him to purchase a successor. The post was brought from Andover five miles by foot. The postman who brought it took letters on to a neighbouring hamlet and stayed there all day using a small hut. In the evening he took the hamlets collection back to the village, where he picked up the bigger load and walked again back to Andover. (Kathleen Innes)
- The Salisbury and Winchester Journal Monday April 3rd 1826.
- On Tuesday evening last, as the subscription coach was starting from the Star Inn. Andover, an elderly lady between 60 and 70 years of age, who was seated on the hind part of the coach, was by sudden motion, thrown from her seat, and fell to the ground with such violence, that three of her ribs were broken, and she now remains in a dangerous state.
- The Salisbury and Winchester Journal Monday February 2nd. 1829.
- On Sunday morning last the Prince George coach arrived in Andover, from Winterslow hut, without any coachmen or guard, having one lady on the inside who was not aware of her perilous situation till the coach arrived at Andover.
- The Salisbury and Winchester Journal Monday February 2nd. 1829.
- On the 12th. Instant, between Andover and the Queen Charlotte, an intoxicated man, was run over by 2 or 3 coaches, and was killed on the spot, an inquest being held on the body, a verdict was given in, “Killed by some coaches.”
Pack horses
Some hundreds of years ago, and before the introduction of a
road wagon, and when the idea of a coach had not yet entered the traveller’s
brain, this was a famous way for the conveyance of goods from the north to the south
of England. The means employed w
ere
pack horses, and long strings of these might have been seen wending their way along
White flood and up the sharp hill to five lanes end, old roadster long used to the
duty of leader, or lagged behind to lighten the journey with a friendly chat with
some fellow traveller. Smuggled goods found a passage through the country in this
way, and valuables such as could not be purchased in provincial towns. Tobacco,
brandy, and even foreign brocades and silks from seaport places often filled a corner
in the packman's bundle, and met ready exchange with cutlery and other commodities
in the interior. The late Mr. John Moore, who died at the advanced age of ninety,
placed in my possession two black, rudely made, squat, globose bottles which had
contained spirits obtained of a packman by his grandfather. They are of about the
date of the end of the seventeenth century, and probably contained hollands. The
packhorses travelled in lines laden with bundles or panniers, the baskets being
about three feet in length, two feet in depth, their width being about one or two
feet. The horses backs were padded, and the panniers were suspended by hooks attached
to a curved billet of wood which crossed from side to side; and it has been suggested
that the Inn sign known as the "Crooked Billet" derived its name from
this apparatus.
In my possession are several small globular bells of pleasant tinkling sound, which were picked up in the village from time to time. They are of the seventeenth century, and there is little doubt they were worn by packhorses. One specimen has a transverse bar of iron attached to it for fixing apparently to a cross bar. They are smaller than the bells which were formerly worn on the market teams of the farmers, although the early examples of market bells were globular. Such bells were once universal among the farmers, and the object of their employment, in addition to any small pride in their use on the part of the employers or carters, was the necessity of warning any counter traffic in narrow roads during the night or early morning. Another motive that I have heard stated was the scaring away the demons of the night from obstructing the wains by putting what the carters call "Spells" on the wheels.
The blunderbuss then was a necessary appendage, for foot pads,
and people calling themselves "gentlemen," frequented the roads, which
made it t
heir business to
empty the traveller’s pockets. There are stories of such "gentry"
frequenting this neighbourhood, and among others Bolter, who was an accomplice of
the notorious Turpin; but this refers to a period long subsequent to the time of
the pack horses. Bolter's favourite spot, so report says, was Hogdiggin corner,
and the roads about Woodcut, in order to be in readiness for folks travelling between
Newbury and Winchester. Strange tales are current respecting him that he had a horse
which used to wake him when anyone approached. He met a felon's well deserved
fate at Winchester, and the wife of Brown, the tailor of this village at the time,
made a journey to the gallows to touch the dead man's hand for the cure of some
disease with which she was suffering. A barbarous custom permitted in those days.
(Dr. Joseph Stevens)
The Bolter, Dr. Stevens refers to must be Thomas Boulter born at Poulshot, near Devizes Wilts. in 1748 a millers son, whose father was also a Highwayman who had been sentenced to death, but through the intercession of several of his friends, his punishment was transmuted into transportation to the colonies for fourteen years in 1775. Thomas Boulter junior was sent to the gallows at Winchester on Wednesday, 19th, August, 1778 along with James Calderwell his accomplice. Boulter’s career had lasted for three years. (It is also said he used to feed this horse with bread soaked in wine.) (Kevin Holdway)
- The Salisbury and Winchester Journal December 4 th. 1775.
On Sunday the 26th. ult. About noon, two gentlemen and a lady coming to this city, were robbed on the plain, about eleven miles off, by a single highwayman, who took from them about twenty-seven shillings English, and forty small pieces of Spanish silver coin, value about 5d. each. He was a young man, about five feet nine inches high, of a fresh complexion, and wore his own black curled hair, and a round narrow brim’d hat, was dressed in a claret coloured Bath beaver surtout coat, black waistcoat, leather breeches, and light coloured ribb’d stockings, but had neither boots nor spurs on; was mounted on a brown cropp’d horse, about fifteen hands high, seemingly of the draught kind. He was not uncivil in his behaviour, but appeared to be much confused by his manner.
Soon after, we hear, he robbed another Gentleman near the same place, of 19s and on Monday, about six in the evening, a post-chaise driver, coming from Devizes, with an empty chaise, belonging to the Red Lion in this city, was robbed near the seven mile stone, of twenty-four shillings and six pence, by a highwayman, on a black horse, who, on coming up, bid him stop, and presenting a pistol, asked him if he had anybody in his chaise ? to which the driver answering No, he demanded his money, made him turn out his pockets, and asked him if had any watch, and then rode off.
Whoever apprehends him, will, on conviction, be entitled to a reward of £40 by act of parliament.
We are informed the above robberies, together with other mentioned in former papers, were committed by two different highwaymen, said to be father and son, and that one of them lived in Lavington. They seldom rode the same horse twice, but stole a fresh one every expedition; one of them a poor ordinary black horse, was found loose on the down, the bridle and saddle hid among some trees in the Duke of Queensberry’s park; from whence the rider walked to Amesbury, and stopped near an hour at the Three-Tuns , drinking; but hearing some persons present talk about apprehending the highwayman that had committed so many robberies on the Devizes road, he took an opportunity to walk privately away, ’tis supposed went towards Andover or Winchester.
- The Salisbury and Winchester Journal Sat. May 16 th. 1835.
Robbery- Mr. Robert Dowling of Clatford Oakcuts, was, on Wednesday evening, about 9.O,clock, stopped in his gig, when on his return from Andover Fair, about three quarters of a mile from Andover, on the Winchester road, by two men, who robbed him of about £16 consisting two £5 notes of the Andover Bank, and the remainder of Gold and silver; and also of an accountable receipt from Messrs. Heath and co. Of the Andover Bank, to Miss Susan Dowling, for £42.7s. A reward of £5 has been offered on the conviction of the offenders.
- Salisbury and Winchester journal October . 1784.
The mode of committing robberies on the highways at present, is not on horseback, but on foot, two or three in a gang. One holds the horses, boots, and great coats, in a neighbouring field, while the other two stop and rob the passengers. Then they go to this field, draw on their boots and great coats, get out into the road, and if they hear any hue and cry, they join in pursuit of themselves. This mode has been adopted lately about London.
- Salisbury and Winchester Journal October 28 th. 1785.
WHEREAS JACOB ISAAC, of Andover, was attacked this morning between ten and eleven o’clock, as he was going to Cutwood end, by three footpads, who robbed him of 15 guineas, a £10 bank note, 5 new watches, 10 old ditto. 25 pair of large silver buckles, 3 pair of children’s ditto, 4 pair of knee ditto, 13 large table spoons, 7 half dozens of tea spoons, 3 pair of tea tongs, two pair of silver salts with blue glass, 2 pepper boxes, 2 cream cups, some plated buckles, and about one dozen of spectacles.
Two of the above men are rather stout, wore silk handkerchiefs round their necks, had von round smock frocks, straitish hair, and appeared to be about 30 years of age; the other short, with a light coloured coat.
Whoever will apprehend any or all of the above felons, shall on conviction of the offenders, receive a reward of Ten Guineas, by me JACOB ISAAC.
- The Salisbury and Winchester Journal Monday June 26 th. 1826.
A woman age 70, has for the last 27 years carried letters and parcels from Longparish to Andover, and back, every day in the week except Monday she therefore performs 14 miles each day, 84 miles a week, 336 miles per month 4032 miles a year and has performed 108864 miles in the 27 years.
Books were but seldom published, and these only in London and a few of the principal towns. News came by post letters, restricted chiefly to the wealthy, which were passed about from family to family till they were almost thumbed to pieces. People travelled in road wagons chiefly, which were excessively crowded. A few coaches were introduced at the end of the seventeenth century, between places of importance, for even the roads between such towns as Newbury and Reading were almost impassable. What, then, must have been the condition of those of St. Mary Bourne?
Then the main road was merely a swampy drove, almost impassable to vehicles in winter. The river ran at will down the road and across it, and in times of flood was dangerous to travellers
The following notice of the floods appears under the head of "John Bull, his account of the floods, written by his father’s orders December ye 23rd. 1797".
" A memorandom of a flood Sunday, February ye 8th., People at church obliged to be carryed home on carts and with horses, the waters rising so fast while morning service continued between 11 and 12 O’clock, being the third flood in a fortnight by snow and sharp frost and quick thaws. Jany.ye 28th February ye 1st; but ye 8th.of February was heavey and shocking, the banks of the water courses brake out and the street full of water and no passing."
Thirty years ago, on the top of the hill known as five lanes end (being the spot where Hungerford lane crosses the St. Mary Bourne road to Andover), a direction post stood, bearing on its arms “Hungerford” and “Winchester”, showing that the lane must have been at one time a main road. It is an old packhorse way, and was probably used for centuries as such, when no other method of traversing the country was possible from the swampy state of the valley in winter, and when the rugged hills were not convenient for vehicles. As late as forty years ago, when there were no county bridges, fords were of frequent occurrence, not less than three such occurring between St. Mary Bourne and Hurstbourne Tarrant. And when in winter the brook became swollen and the road flooded travellers were compelled to traverse the outlying water in journeying from village to village.
Swamp-
The packhorse road is still observable at Lower Week, and traversing
the hills west of St. Mary Bourne it continued onwards to Hurstbourne Tarrant, where
it appears to have taken the line of the hill-