THE HEYDAY OF THE PACKHORSE
Horses and donkeys have been used to transport goods since they were first domesticated 6,000 years ago. The peak of the packhorse in Britain was between 1650 and 1800. In the north of England they would take cloth and limestone over the Pennines; in Wales they worked down in the mines to bring slate and coal up to the surface. Packhorse trains would number as many as 40, each capable of carrying around 100kg – particularly useful when muddy and rocky ground made the use of horse-drawn carts impossible. The network of bridleways, drove roads and packhorse trails they used can still be found across the UK today. Narrow stone ‘packhorse bridges’ cross many a river, and ‘Packhorse Inn’ pubs are found across the country.