Regency-era traveller's map of Derbyshire (redrawn from Cary, 1792)
As I mentioned in the last post, if you're following the Seeking Sophie story (& if you'd like to take part in the Tournament: see this post for further information), you can trace the journey by which Miss. S. was abducted, following her servant, Mary's account on the map of the era.
I have redrawn this map (due to the poor quality reproduction of the original copy; I have had to omit the more illegible place-names), which comes from a 1790s traveller's guide that still seems to have been used in the Regency.
It must be said the map doesn't seem particularly accurate - I can but wonder how many Regency travellers went astray with only this for their guide! So I advise modern readers to use more recent maps in conjunction - though doing so will reveal that some of the roads used in the 21st century were not yet built at this time (several being constructed over the last decade of the 18th- & early decades of the 19th-centuries).
I included this element of the story (& Tournament) as landscape studies - observing, recording & interpreting the natural & man-made environment, and particularly change over time - are an important aspect of archaeological investigation (landscapes being to all intents and purposes archaeological artefacts - being made & modified by people in the past).
Some local readers might find it fun to trace the coaching route in person - the routes survive (& public houses mentioned are still open) today! Such trails (and other guides) will form part of the digital learning packages that I intend to provide (see the events page for more information).
After the event I shall provide a similar challenge set on the streets of Derby!
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