The coming of the railways from the late 1830s destroyed the livelihoods of coachmen and coach owners. It also spelt doom to the magnificent galleried coaching inns, especially in the City of London, the largest of which had over 100 rooms. In their heyday, owners vied to achieve the fastest journey times to distant places in England. But the rousing spectacle of horses and coaches setting off in the early mornings, identified in colourful liveries, was to be lost forever, just like the buildings themselves. This collection of views of the inns and a description of the lives of the people who ran them, is a wonderful breath of nostalgia.
164 x 230mm (softcover with 74 illustrations) 80 pages
Published 2009