150 Years from WT to MD: Life Before the Railway
Life Before the Railway
Before the railway the only means of transport was walking and only the wealthy could afford horses and carts. There were no modern roads, just muddy tracks and travel was limited. Even a trip to the next village was sometimes an adventure and not to be undertaken lightly.
This did not really matter: life was much simpler 200 years ago. Most people worked on the land and were self-sufficient. Every village had a baker and there were local farms for milk and meat. Wool was used in the cloth industry and hides were tanned locally for leather. There was no need to travel any distance and it was rare for anyone to go more than a few miles.
Watchet harbour was a focus of activity, and sailing ships brought in coal and
other materials. Local people went fishing. Stone for building was dug from local quarries and moved by horse and cart.
The first attempts to bring modern transport to the area were the turnpike (or toll) roads that began to be developed in the 1750s. These connected Minehead, Dunster, Watchet and Williton to the outside world, and for the first time it became slightly easier to move around. Once these roads were built, tolls were charged according to the goods that were being carried. The tolls that were taken were then used to maintain the roads.
