THE CONTENTS
Reading edition
§ I THE ROAD IN GENERAL
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CHAPTER IThe Origin of Roads
How Did the Road Come into Existence: The Experimental or the Scientific Method: The Haphazard Road: The Case for Design in Road Construction3
CHAPTER IIThe Crossing of Marsh and Water
Physical Factors Modifying the Formula of the Road: Marsh as the Chief Obstacle to Travel: The Political Results of Marshes: The Crossing of Water Courses: The Origin of the Bridge: The Effect of Bridges upon Roads: The Creation of a Nodal Point: The Function of the Nodal Point in History13
CHAPTER IIIPassability
The Choice of Soils: Following the Gravel or the Chalk: Conditions in the South and East: The Obstacle of Gradient: The Early Vogue of Steep Gradients: “The Other Side of the Hill”: The Modern Importance of Gradient: Passes or Gaps in Hill Country33
CHAPTER IVThe Obstacle of Vegetation
The Special Expenditure due to Forest: Roads which Skirt Woodlands: Roads which have been Deflected by Forest: Proximity of Material as a Final Main Cause Modifying the Trajectory of a Road: Cost of Transporting Material and its Effects in Ancient and Modern Times47
CHAPTER VPolitical Influences
The Factor of Cost Resulting in the “Strangling of Communication”: Congestion which leads to decay: A Great Modern Problem: The Compulsory Acquisition of Land: Old Roads Serving New Objects56
CHAPTER VIThe Reaction of the Road
The Physical Effects of Roads: The Way in Which the Road Compels Communication to follow it: The Formation of Urban Centres and the Urban Habit: The Spread of Ideas by Means of Roads: History Deflected by the Deflection of the Road: The Example of Shrewsbury and Chester: Towns which are Maintained by Roads: The Road in Military History: Results of the Decay of Roads: The Road as a Boundary63
§ II THE ENGLISH ROAD
CHAPTER VIIThe Road in History
Through the Dim Ages: The Characteristics of the English Road: Absence of Plan: A Local instead of a National System Leading to the Present Crisis81
CHAPTER VIIIThe “Blindness” of English Roads
The Two Causes Governing the Development of English Roads—Waterways and Domestic Peace: The Relation of the English Road to Military Strategy92
CHAPTER IXFive Stages
The “Potential” in Political Geography Examples: The Primitive Trackways: The Roman Road System: The Earlier Mediaeval Period: The Later Mediaeval Period: The Turnpike Era107
CHAPTER XThe Trackways
The Three Divisions of the British Pre-Roman Road System—the System of which Salisbury Plain was the “Hub”: The System Connected with London: Cross-Country Communications—The Three Factors which Have Determined Travel in Britain116
CHAPTER XIThe Making of the Roman Road
The Great Initiative: The Mark of the Roman Military Engineer: The Theory and Practice of the Straight Line: Modifications of the Straight Line: How it was Carried Out: The Method of Odds and Evens133
CHAPTER XIIThe Dark Ages
The Decline of the Roman Road: The Period at its Occurrence: Gaps: Roman Roads which Fell into Disuse: The Relationship of the Modern to the Roman System: Watling Street: Stane Street: The Short Cut Between Penkridge and Chester: Peddars Way: The Coming of the New Civilization in the Twelfth Century147
CHAPTER XIIIWheeled Traffic and the Modern Road
The Transition from the Horse to the Vehicle: The Distinctive Mark of the Later Seventeenth Century: The Turnpike System: The Underlying Idea of the Turnpike: Its Decline and the First Emergence of the General National System in 1810: Thomas Telford and His Work: The Movement Connected with the Name of Macadam: The Coming of the Locomotive and its Results on Canals and Roads179
CHAPTER XIVThe Future
A New Vehicle Compelling us to Make New Roads: Arterial Roads for the New Traffic: The Five Necessities of these Roads: Ways and Means: A National Fund: Taxation according to Fuel Used: The Question of the Land Contiguous to the New Roads194