Medieval Roads and Tracks

This book looks at an almost totally neglected aspect of medieval England and Wales. Starting from the basic concept of a 'road' in medieval times, the book looks at how well the Roman roads had survived and then at the demand for roads. Who travelled? Why? What records of their travels did they leave? What archaeological evidence remains? Dr. Hindle answers these questions and examines the unique cartographic evidence. He discusses whether it is true, as often reported, that travel in winter was difficult. The book concludes by looking at how medieval roads can be studied and how we can work towards a better picture of the road network of medieval England and Wales.
The medieval economy was centred on a phenomenal growth in trade of all kinds of goods, yet few have studied the actual network of roads that was so vital to medieval trading. Starting with the basic concept of a 'road' in medieval times, and discussing the increasing need to travel, this book explores the evidence from documents and maps that provide clues as to where the roads of medieval Britain led, connecting the study of individual roads together to paint an image of the broader road network. The author also uses findings from archaeological surveys and bird's-eye-view photographs to trace the centuries-old routes and illustrate the winding tracks that once carried goods to market.