Horse-drawn carriage recreates 18th century coach route through York

A magnificent coach and horses drawn by four dapple greys pulled up in front of York Minster at about 5pm. And fortunately there wasn’t a highwayman in sight.

That may have had something to do with the coach’s watchful guard, Martin Hoarler.

The coach, owned by Chris Rawlins from near Newcastle, was recreating a typical eighteenth century coaching route: from Darlington via Northallerton and Thirsk to York, and then on towards Harrogate.

Chris Rawlings perched atop his eighteenth passenger coach (Image: Martin Rowley)

It was all just for a bit of fun, admitted Mr Hoarler, who hails from Somerset – but it made for a spectacular sight nonetheless.

Mr Hoarler was keen to dispel some of the romantic myths around coaching.

The coach could seat 12 up top and four inside, he said – but the inside seats were not always necessarily the best.

They were fine in winter, when it was warmer. But in summer, they could be quite close and confined.

"The roads were cobbled roads and toll roads and if you’ve had some fatty bacon or something before breakfast it's not long before someone’s going to be sick,” he said.

“It’s quite close in there, and you’d be sick over the lap of the person sitting opposite." Not a pretty thought….

Don't mess with me: Martin Hoarler in his guard uniform (Image: Martin Rowley)

 Carriage master John Moorhouse - who also acts as carriage master for York funeral director Rowley and Sons when they have horse-drawn funerals - said the journey had begun on Saturday. The coach party had stayed overnight in Thirsk, and after another night in York would be heading on to Harrogate on Monday.

So, three days to get from Darlington to Harrogate – not exactly speedy.

In the eighteenth century, the coach may have done it more quickly, Mr Hoarler admitted – journeys could often be completed in just a day, with horses being charged at coaching inns along the route every ten miles or so.

The coach in front of York Minster (Image: Martin Rowley)

As the guard, it would have been his job to ensure that everyone was in their proper seat.

“The guard would see to the passengers,” he said. “People would buy a ticket in the ticket office, and that ticket would show all the seats in the coach and there would be a cross where that person was due to sit and its up to the guard to make sure there's enough seats left.”

Though who’d want a seat inside if someone had bene eating fatty bacon is anyone’s guess…

High-class transport: just don't sit inside if someone has been eating fatty bacon... (Image: Martin Rowley)