Coach and horses

[bennynorules]

I was watching a video of 'Pride and Prejudice'. Toward the end Mr Darcy (swoon swoon) dashes off to London from his estate in Derbyshire (for arguments sake let's assume it's Matlock way) - how long would that journey have taken in 1810 in a coach with four horses?

[Pinotage]

I live in St Albans which is 25 miles from centre of London. It was the overnight stop for stage coaches. I otherwords, I'd reckon on 25 miles a day. The roads were atrocious and the horses needed to rest. The only way to do it faster was to change horses and not stop over. But if th character was going al the way in his own carriage that wasn't an option. Of course, its possible that his carriage took him to the nearest town when he could catch a fast stagecoach.

[Harley]

I thought it waw filmed at Lyme Park a stately home on the outskirts of Stockport near Disley.The distance would be appx 180 miles avoiding the M1. The time of a journey from Manchester to London fell from three days in 1760 to twenty-eight hours in 1788. http://www.historybookshop.com/articles/commentary/britain-1 800-ht.asp

[humming bird]

Towns were usually ideally placed no more than a days ride from the previous...on flat terrain about 35 kms..say as someone said , 25 miles. Presuming rest azt an innrather than changing horses or coaches, that indicates a week. Clearly the trip could be done in about a day and a half with constant changes and no meals..so say 2 days at best. Cheers