Pack horses and Pack Routes

[fellpony]

Currently researching packhorses, pack routes, pack men, and social conditions; any fresh data and sources welcome from Roman times onwards. (I already know about Stanley's contributions here )

Mainly interested in Cumbria but anything is welcome that sheds light on the topic.

[Tripps]

Alan McEwen used to be a member on here a few years ago. He has a book related to the topic on his list. Written by his wife I think. I seem to remember there was some acrimony towards the end of his membership.

Link http://www.sledgehammerengineeringpress.co.uk/index.php

[Wendyf]

Welcome again Sue. As I wrote before the site had it's little glitch, I have read many a mention of the "Limestone Galls" in this area, carrying lime from the kilns at Lothersdale quarry for use in agriculture & building. They probably brought coal to the kilns as well. I wonder if they were Galloways, or if that became a term to describe any pack pony.
Aren't Galloways extinct as a breed now?

[fellpony]

Thanks for that.

Galloway (Gallower, Gall or Gal) became a generic term (like "Hoover" for vacuum cleaner) for any pony between 13 and 14 hands, though originally describing the ponies of southwest Scotland. Because they were extensively crossed to get larger animals, the original small tough breed eventually died out and were described as scarce by the 1830s (Youatt).

They were among the foundation stock for several modern breeds including the Clydesdale, the Highland, the Fell and the Dales pony, and the Thoroughbred - though the racing Galloways will undoubtedly have had the native blood crossed with Oriental stock.

[Wendyf]

Ah, that explains it, thank you.
I live near to the old high level road between Skipton & Colne, which climbs up to about 1200 feet. The Lancashire section is documented in a survey of the King's Highways in 1623, and it was probably here a long time before that. It was made into a Turnpike road in 1755, and the reason given for the choice of this route was that it was already the road by which coal was brought from Colne into Skipton. This must have been by pack horse...the road can't have been good enough for wheeled vehicles.
There was a turnpike (at 1100ft) on the border between Lancashire & Yorkshire, and I have a copy of a "Table of Tolls & Duties" to be taken from September 1773 to September 1776. It is a standard, printed poster but the name of the toll bar is hand written across the top, and a number of extra notes written on it. Beside the section which says "For every Horse, Mare, Gelding, Mule or Ass, loaden or unloaden and not drawing ...the sum of One Penny" there is a hand written note that horses carrying coals and lime are not to exceed a half penny.

[Stanley]

If you look in Stanley's View you'll find a series of articles on transport and pack horses.
Here are some useful books if you want to read more about the subject. Packmen, Carriers and Packhorse Roads by David Hey. Transport Saga 1646-1947 published by the Hay's Wharf Cartage Company. Traffic and Transport, an economic history of Pickfords by Gerald L Turnbull.The Rise and Rise of Road Transport by Theo Barker and Dorian Gerhold. Packhorse, Waggon and Post by J Crofts. Seen on the Packhorse Tracks by Titus Thornber. Also useful is The Drovers by Bonser.

[fellpony]

Ta muchly, Stanley. It was your Packhorse articles that brought me to the site.

[Stanley]

It's a pleasure Sue. The drove road book is worth looking at because the two subjects are closely related, they often used the same routes.
One funny thing I came across was that the name 'Windy Harbour' which crops up all over the country was usually an overnight halt for the packmen and drovers. There used to be one in Barlick next to Bancroft Farm.

[fellpony]

Thanks for reminding me. "Cold Harbour" crops up along routes too; I think I first read about that in a book on Roman roads.

The Galloway Gate (which sparked my interest as I live on it) was both a drove road and a pack route. Lambert in "Transect Through Time" suggested the two were often different. I can understand that. I know if I were travelling with sheets of wool on my pack horses, or delicate goods, I would prefer not to get mixed up with horned cattle too often.