Britannia, volume the first, or, An illustration of the Kingdom of England and dominion of Wales by a geographical and historical description of the principal roads thereof, actually admeasured and delineated in a century of whole-sheet copper-sculps : accomodated with the ichnography of the several cities and capital towns, and compleated by an accurate account of the more remarkable passages of antiquity : together with a novel discourse of the present state / by John Ogilby ...

The Road from London to Bristol.

• 1. THE Point of Bearing W. by N.
• 2. The Direct Horizontal Distance 107 M.
• 3. The vulgar Computation 94 M.
• 4. The Dimensuration 115’2.

From LONDON	Comp.	Measure.
to Brentford	08	08	10’1	10’1
Hounslow	02	10	02’2	12’3
Colebrook	05	15	06’4	18’7
Maidenhead	07	22	08’7	27’6
Twiford	06	28	07’4	35’2
Reading	04	32	05’0	40’2
Theal	04	36	04’3	44’5
Woolhampton	06	42	05’6	50’3
Thatcham	03	45	03’2	53’5
to Newbury	02	47	03’1	056’6
Chilton	09	56	09’5	066’3
Ramesbury	02	58	02’7	069’2
Marlborough	04	62	06’1	075’3
Caln	10	72	12’5	088’0
Chippenham	06	77	05’6	093’6
Marshfield	07	84	09’2	103’0
BRISTOL	10	94	12’2	115’2
	94		115’2

Otherwise by Hungerford, thus

To Newbury, as before	47	47	56’6	56’6
Hungerford	07	54	08’1	64’5
Marlborough	08	62	09’6	73’7

Continued to Huntspil, Com. Somerset. thus,

From BRISTOL	Comp.	Measure.
to Langford	09	09	12’0	12’0
Axbridg	05	14	06’2	18’2
Huntspil	08	22	11’0	29’2

With the several Accounts above mention'd, take also the Post-miles from LON∣DON to BRISTOL, thus:

From LONDON to Hounslow 10 Miles, to Maidenhead 16. to Reading 12. to Newbury 16, to Marlborough 15, to Chippenham 15, and to BRISTOL 20. In all 104 Miles.

Midlesex, Buckinghamshire, Barkshire, Wiltshire, Glocestershire and Somersetshire con∣tain the whole Road, which crosses the Rivers Brent, Coln, Thames, Kennet and Avon, affording in general a very good Way, and reiterated good Towns and Through∣fares. The Post-Office making this one of their six Principal Roads of England, and branching it to the Devizes, &c. on the Left, and to South-wales, HEREFORD and OXFORD on the Right.

THUS much in general for the whole Road which consisting of two Plates, the first ending at Marlborough in Wiltshire, the Second at BRISTOL, continued to Huntspil in Somersetshire; We begin with Plate the First, containing 75’3. wherein the following Turnings are to be avoided, viz.

• At 12’5. The Left forward to Stanes.
• At 24’3. The Right to Wickham.
• At 28’3. The Right to GLOCESTER.
• At 33’6. The Right to Wargrave.
• At 36’2. The Right to Sunning.
• At 43’3. The Right acute.
• At 62’2. The forward Way to Hungerford.
• At 65’5. The Right forward to Lamborn.
• At 71’ The Left a different way to Marlbo∣rough.

In the Way by Hungerford. At 64’4. The Right to OXFORD. At 67’0. The Right.

From the Standard in Cornhil, through Cornhil, Cheapside, St. Pauls Church-yard, Ludgate-street, Ludgate, Ludgate-hil, Fleet-street, Temple-bar, the Strand, the Hay-mar∣ket and Pickadilly, as in the Description of LONDON. You come to Knightsbridg, Kensington and Hamersmith, well-frequented by the Gentry and Neighboring Citizens. Entering Brentford at 9’1. distinguish'd into the Old and New, seated on the River Brent, at its Confluence with the Thames; [as in London to St. Davids, pag. 27.]

Whence by the stately Sion House, on the Left, belonging to the late Earl of Nor∣thumberland, over Small-beer Green you enter Hounslow at 12’1. a good Thorough-fare of 4 Furlongs length, at the end of which, the direct Way leading to Stanes, carryes you to Southampton, or EXETER, or any the included Places: Your Way proceeding over Hounslow-Heath, distinguish'd into 1, 2 and 3 Mile Heaths, at 14’5. passing by Baron Windham's House on the Right, at 16’6. Enter Longford, a Village of 4 Fur∣longs; where passing 4 separated Branches of the Coln, at 18’5. cross the Coln it self.

Here at once you enter Buckinghamsh. and Colebrook (the Pontes in Antonine) a very good Thorough-fare, with a Market on Wednsdays, about 4 Furlongs long, at the end of which, branches out the direct Way to Windsor; which at Slow 3’4. beyond this place, appears pleasantly at Right Angles on the Left, at 2 Miles distance. From Slow a level Road brings you to Maidenhead, first crossing the Thames at 27 Miles, and en∣tring Barkshire, and 3 Furlongs farther the Town, extending half a Mile on the Road, of great Reception for Travellers, has a well-frequented Market on Wedns∣days, and a Key to which Barges come from London.

A quarter of a Mile beyond the Town the great Road to GLOCESTER branches out on the Right, whence through the Commons and Woods call'd Maidenhead Thicket, you pass Harehatch, and at 35’1. enter Twiford, a Village of 4 Furlongs, and good Entertainment, whence a pleasant way brings you at 39’7. to Reading, so call'd from the Confluence of the Rivers as seated on the Navigable Kennet, near its Influx into the Thames, and here cross'd by 7 Bridges; the fairest and largest Town of the County, with 3 Parish Churches; is a Corporation electing Parliament Men, Govern'd by a Maior 12 Aldermen, &c. Eminent for Cloathing and Malting, and once beautified with a rich Monastery and strong Castle.

You pass the main Town on the Right, which leaving at 40’4. a pleasant Lane conveys you to Theal, vulgo Dheal, q. d. the Vale, a discontinued Village with two or three good Inns, Extending to 44’7. thence passing Inglesfield, the pleasant Seat of the Marquess of Winchester's near a Mile on the Right, a good way through broad Lanes and open Arable, brings you at 50’2. to Woolhampton, vulgo Woolington, small but of good Reception; whence a pleasant way and Prospect conveys you at 53’4. to Thatsham, vulgo Thacham, 3 Furlongs long and a reasonable Through-fare; whence having touch'd upon the Kennet, at 56’5. enter that part of Newbury, call'd Spinhamland, the Relicts of the ancient Spinae, whose Ruins gave Rise to the pre∣sent New Town, [for which see the Road from Oxford to Chichester, pag. 161.]

At 57’4. you pass by Spein on the Left, and Donnington Castle on the Right; whence between Craven Park and Wickham Heath, at 62’2. you come to the parting of the Roads, the Left being the Post-way by Hungerford, but the Right the more usual, being both the Coach and Plow-way by Ramesbury; which prosecuting, at 65’3. you enter Wiltshire, and at 66’1. come to Chilton, a small Through-fare thought of 4 Fur∣longs extent; leaving the Place on the Right, and somewhat farther, Littlecot on the Left; and at 69’1. enter Ramesbury, a discontinued Village of 4 Furl.; and a Mile farther by Ramesbury-place, the Earl of Pembrook's; a less pleasant Way, passing at 73’6. through Middenhal, a small Village, brings you at 75’1. to Marlborough; as in Plate the 2d.

If by Hungerford; Then prosecuting the directer way at 62’2. aforesaid, you cross the Kennet, and enter that part of Hungerford call'd Charnham-street at 64’4. [as in Oxford to Salisbury, p. 165.] Leaving which, you enter Wiltsh. and by Froxfield on the Right, through Savernake Forest, and over a considerable Ascent; at 73’4. enter Marlborough aforesaid, and repassing the Kennet, fall in with your other Road at 73’7. shortning your Journey this way 11 Furlongs.

Retrograde Turnings to be avoided.

• 4 Furlongs from Marlborough, the Left to Oxford.
• The Left at the end of Theal.
• 5 Furlongs from Reading, the Right to Okingham.
• 3 Miles short of Maidenhead, the Left to Merloe.

Notes

• Counties past through.
• Rivers crost over.
• LONDON.
• [2’3. S.W. by W.]
• Brentford, 10’1.
• Hounslow, 12’3.
• [12’5. N.W. by W.]
• [14’6. W. by S.]
• Longford, 17 M. [18’0. W.N.W.]
• Colebrook, 18’7.
• Maidenhead, 27’6.
• [31’3. S.W.] Twiford, 35’3.
• Reading, 40’2.
• Theal, 44’5.
• [49’3. W by N.] Woolhampton, 50’3.
• Thacham, 53’5.
• Newbury, 56’6.
• [59’ W. by S.] [62’2. N. by W.] [62’6. W. by N.]
• Chilton, 66’ 3.
• [69. S.W. by W.] Ramesbury, 69’2.
• Middenhal, 73’6. Marlborough, 75’2.
• Hungerford, 64’5.
• [66’1. S.W. by S.] [72.11. by N.]
• Marlborough, 73’7.