C) Planning my route: The first part of the journey to Calne was both historically and practically the trickiest part of the journey to plan. This section incorporated a route that is defined as ‘the Old Bath Road’ as opposed to the ‘New Bath Road’ which went via Chippenham and Box. From the middle of the century that road was improved through the turnpike acts. Historically the older route is more interesting and seems to have always gone via two places namely Sandy Lane and Shepherds Shore.

Sandy lane still exists and I went through their on my way to my first nights rest at Avebury. Of Shepherd’s Shore I could find no sign on any map (how very 18th century!). Googledata puts it on the A361 but why it was significant remains a mystery to me. Having researched the GBR route I now needed to make further preparations for my own trip. In true organisation style these vital preparations were grouped under the vague headings of a) further historical research about the attraction of Bath in the 18th century b) planning the route based on available cycle routes and how far my battery would take me c) dividing up the route so that I maximised the range of the bike and d) finding suitable accommodation within the range of the bike that would give the journey the most historical accuracy. This meant finding inns, pubs or hotels that were historic or, ideally, had once hosted my Georgian predecessors e) preparing the bike and f) preparing myself!

The Development and improvement of roads happened in Beau Nash’s lifetime

I have always found delving into the history of the 18th century fascinating. It is not that long ago and is the bed rock of the modern world. Science, industrial practices, stock trading, roads, all flourished and were developed during this period. Socially the old 17th century medieval norms were being adapted to encompass or include the new prosperous ‘middle’ classes. Bath was at the centre of this change. Beau Nash was a social innovator and entrepreneur; he was also a practical man who saw that the old habits of the aristocracy were no longer fitting for the new age of inclusion. Some of the habits of ‘The Ton’ as the leading aristocrats were called were also bad for business! He prohibited the wearing of swords, petticoats and riding boots in the assemblies he organised. He also dictated that balls finish at 11pm and introduced many regulations around gambling. As the musicians were often commissioned and paid for by him, Beau Nash could also call the shots and lay down the law.

This power earned him the nickname the ‘King of Bath’. His dictats were resented by some but most could see the good sense of having regulations that provided safety, decorum and encouraged civilised behaviour. This sense of security and the provision of a well scheduled order of events was one of Bath’s main attractions. Bath became a safe place in which the classes could mix, flirtations could proceed and gambling would flourish. The 18th century was also a period of extreme glamour for both men and women. The fashion museum in Bath displays examples of their sumptuous costumes. The men as well as the women used colour, texture, fabric and cut to maximum advantage. Both sexes could be equally described as peacocks and extravagant display were the order of the day. Beau Nash himself wore fine waistcoats and a large white hat. His mode of transport was very ostentatious with many horses, smartly dressed coachmen and out-riders. 

So the attraction of Bath from 1704 (Nash’s arrival) were partly social but there were many other reasons to visit. The accommodation was being expanded, not only were Inns flourishing but houses were being developed and built for rental during the season like the Royal Crescent and Landsdown Crescent for instance. Many of these crescents were designed with this high-end rental market in mind. Often the buildings did not include kitchens as meals were brought in or people ate out. The Roman Baths or hot springs were also a large attraction both for leisure and for medical reasons. The spa spawned a flourishing medical community of doctors, herbalists and quacks to whom the tourists could present their various problems and ailments.

Maybe these remedies occasionally worked. Leaving London and the thrill and pleasures of Bath alone was possibly more of a tonic than the medicines themselves. My researches also looked into the history of roads, coaching and map making. All very interesting if you like that kind of thing which I do. For one thing you don’t know what you don’t know, and I knew nothing about any of these topics and the research opened up a new world. I could never look at an old toll house in the same way again. There are many that still exist around Bath and I had never given them much thought. But now I understand that they were literally the gate keepers to a road system that played a part in our island’s success and prosperity. Rather than weave a rambling tale about facts regarding coaching and maps that I have gleaned, I will set out at the end of this piece a few interesting anecdotes, trivial nuggets or factoids that hopefully dear reader might tickle your fancy! Please let me know if this is of interest.

Next up: Chapter 5. THE Trial Run!!