CARRIERS TO LONDON IN 1637

This is a list of carriers from provincial England into London. The list was said to have been compiled in 1637 by John Taylor and a copy (probably made later) is kept in the Bodleian Library in Oxford. This Web page is a transcript in standard format. Taylor's list is probably the earliest comprehensive record of wagon services in the capital. Other lists, dating from later in the 17th century have been transcribed by Alan Rosevear. These later lists include packhorse and coach services; the names of carriers are also included.

---

Bodleian (Tanner 192 (7) 270f 781a)

Carriers Cosmologie or a Brief Relation, of the Innes, Ordinaries, Hostelries and other Lodgings in, and near London, where the Carriers, Waggons, Foote posts & Higglers, doe usually come, from any partes, townes, shires and counties of the Kingdomes of England, Principality of Wales, as also from the Kingdomes of Scotland and Ireland.
With nomination of what daies of the weeke they doe come to London, and on what daies they returne, whereby all sorts of people may finde direction how to receive, or send, goods or letters, unto such places as their occasions may require.

by John Taylor, London - 1637
Printed by A.G.

The preamble complains about not being paid and mentions that connecting services will carry passengers on from the destinations listed here.
Normal form is "The carriers of Abington doe lodge at the George in Bred street, they do come on Wednesdaies and go away on Thursdaies"

Town	Means	London Inn	Days
St Albanes	carrier	Peacock, Aldersgate Street	F
St Albanes	coach	Bell, Aldersgate Street	FTu
Abington	carrier	George, Bred Street	W
Aylsbury, Bucks	carrier	George neere Holborne Bridge	*
Aylsbury, Bucks	carrier	Swan in the Strand	*
Aylsbury, Bucks	carrier	Angel behind St Clements Church	*
Aylsbury, Bucks	carrier	Bell, Holborne	*
* one of them every other day
Ashbur	carrier	Castle, Great Wood Street	ThFS
Blanvile, Dorset	carrier	Chequer neere Charing Crosse	Th/2
Blandfourd	carrier	Rose neere Holborne Bridge
Brayntree & Bocking, Essex	carrier	Tabbard, Gracious Street neere the Conduit	Th
Bathe	carrier	Three Cups, Bred Street	F
Bristow	carrier	Three Cups, Bred Street
Bristow	carrier	Swan neere Holborne Bridge	Th
Brewton, Dorset	carrier	Rose neere Holborne Bridge	Th
Bucks & Beds	carrier	Saracens head without Newgate	daily
Broomsbury	carrier	Maidenhead, Cat-eaton Street nre Guildhall	Th
Bingham, Notts	carrier	Black Bull, Smithfield	F
Bramley, Staffs	carrier	Castle neere Smithfield barres	Th
Burfuord, Oxon	carrier	Bell, Friday Street	Th
Buckingham	carrier	Kings Head, Old Change	WTh
Buckingham	carrier	Saracens head, Carter Lane	FS
Bewdley, Worcs	carrier	Castle, Wood Street	ThFS
Buckingham	carrier	George neere Holborne Bridge	WThF
Brackley, Northants	carrier	George neere Holborne Bridge	WThF
Banbury	carrier	George neere Holborne Bridge	WThF
Bedford	carrier	Three Horseshooes, Aldersgate Street	Th
Bridge-north	carrier	Maidenhead, Cat-eaton Street nre Guildhall
Bury (St Edmonds Bury), Suffolk	carrier	Dolphin without Bishopsgate	Th
Bury (Berry), Suffolk	waggon	Four Swans, Bishopsgate	Th
Bury (Berry), Suffolk	foote-post	Green Dragon, Bishopsgate Street	W
Barnstable, Devon	carrier	Starre, Bred Street	F
Bampton & Buckland	carrier	Mermaid, Carter Lane	ThF
Brill, Bucks	carrier	Saint Pauls head, Carter Lane	TuW
Bampton & parts of Lancs	carrier	Beare at Bashingshaw	ThF
Batcombe, Somerset	carrier	Crowne or Iarrets Hall, end of Basing Lane	F
Broughton, Leics	carrier	Axe, Aldermansbury	F
Colchester	carrier	Crosse Keyes, Gracious Street	Th
Chessam, Bucks	carrier	White Hart, High Holborne, end Drury Ln	2 /week
Cogshall, Suffolk	carrier	Spread Eagle, Gracious Street	ThF
Chipping anger, Essex	waggons	Crowne without Aldgate	W
Chelmsford, Essex	waggons	Blew Boare without Aldgate	W
Cheltenham, Glos.	carrier	Three Cups, Bred Street	F
Cambden, Glos.	carrier	Three Cups, Bred Street	ThFS
Chipping norton	carrier	Three Cups, Bred Street	ThFS
Chester	carrier	Castle, Wood Street	ThFS
Chard, Dorset	carrier	Queenes Armes neere Holborne Bridge	F
Chard, Dorset	carrier	George, Bred Street
Chester	carrier	Blossomes (or Bosomes Inne) St Lawrence L	Th
Coleashby, Northants	carrier	Bell,. Smithfeld
Northants	carrier	Bell, Smithfeld	Th
Crawley, Warks	carrier	Beare & Ragged Staffe, Smithfield	Th
Coventry, Warks	carrier	Ram, Smithfeld	WTh
Coventry, Warks	carrier	Rose, Smithfeld	ThF
Creete, Leics	carrier	Rose, Smithfeld
Cambridge	carrier	Bell, Coleman Street	Th
Cambridge	coach/waggon	Bull, Bishopsgate Street	ThF
Coventry	carrier	Axe, St Mary Axe or Aldermansbury	Th
Canterbury	foote-poste	Two necked Swanne at Sommerskey, Billsgt	WS
Crookhorne, Devon	carrier	Queenes Armes neere Holborne Bridge	Th
Dunmow, Essex	carrier	Saracens Head, Gracious Street	Th
Dunmow, Essex	waggon	Crowne without Aldgate	W
Ditmarsh, Berks	carrier	George, Bred Street
Doncaster, Yorks	carrier	Bell Savage without Ludgate	F
Dorchester	carrier	Rose neere Holborne Bridge	Th
Denbigh in Wales	carrier	Bosomes Inne	Th
Daintree	carrier	Cross Keyes, St John's Street	F
Duncehanger nre Stony Stratford	carrier	Three Cups, St John's Street
Derby & Derbyshire	carrier	Axe, St Mary Axe or Aldermansbury	F
Derby	carrier	Castle, Wood Street	Th
Epping, Essex	carrier	Prince his Arms, Leadenhall Street	Th
Exeter	carrier	Star, Bred Street	F
Exeter	carrier	Rose neere Holborne Bridge	Th
Evesham, Worcs	carrier	Castle, Wood Street	F
Feckingham forrest in Worcs	carrier	Crowne, High Holborne
Feckingham forrest in Worcs	carrier	Queenes Head, St Giles in the Fields
Faringdon, Berks	carrier	St Pauls Head, Carter Lane	Tu
Gindon Underwood, Bucks	carrier	St Pauls Head, Carter Lane	TuW
Glocester	carrier	Saracens Head without Newgate	F
Glocester	carrier	Saracens Head, Carter Lane	F
** clothiers doe come every weeke out of divers parts of Glostershire to the Saracens Head in Friday Street. The waines or waggons doe come every weeke from sundry places in Glostershire and are to bee had at the Swan neere Holborne Bridge. There are carriers of some places in Glostershire that doe lodge at the Mer-maid in Carter Lane.
Hadley, Suffolk	carrier	George, Lumbard Street	Th
Huntingdon	carrier	White Hinde without Cripplegate	Th
Hereford	carrier	Kings Head, Old Change	F
Hallifax, Yorks	carrier	Greyhound, Smithfield	monthly
Hallifax, Yorks	carrier	Beare, Basingshaw	W
Hallifax, Yorks	carrier	Axe, Aldermansbury
Hallifax, Yorks	carrier	White Hart, Coleman Street
Hatfield, Herts	carrier	Bell, St John's Street	Th
Harding, Herts	carrier	Cock, Aldersgate Street	TuWTh
Hadham, Herts	carrier/waggon	Bull, Bishopsgate Street	MTuFS
Hartfourd Towne	waggon/coach	Four Swans without Bishopsgate	F
Hatfield, Herts	waggon/coach	Bell, Aldersgate Street	F
Ipswich, Suffolk	carrier	George, Lumbard Street	Th
Ipswich	post	Cross Keyes, Graceious Street	Th
Ingarstone, Essex	waines	Kings Armes, Leadenhall Street	W
Ivell, Dorset	carrier	Jarrets Hall or Crowne, Basing Lane
Keinton, Oxon	carrier	Bell, Friday Street	Th
Kingston upon Hull	post	Bull over against Leadenhall
Lincolne	carrier	White Horse without Cripplegate	F/2
Laighton Boudefart (corruptly LB)	carrier	Harts Hornes, Smithfield	MTu
Leicester	carrier	Saracens Head without Newgate	Th
Leicester	carrier	Castle neere Smithfield-barres	Th
Leics (passing through)	carrier	Ram, Smithfield
Leics	carrier	Rose, Smithfield
Lewton, Herts	carrier	Cocke, Aldersgate Street	TuW
Leeds, Yorks	carrier	Beare, Bassingshaw	W
Leeds	carrier	Axe, Aldermansbury
Leicester	carrier	Axe, Aldermansbury
Loughborough	carrier	Axe, Aldermansbury
Leics & Lancs	carrier	Axe, Aldermansbury
Mawlden, Essex	carrier	Crosse Keyes, Gracious Street	Th
Monmouth in Wales	carrier	Pauls Head, Carter Lane	F
Marlborough	carrier	White Swan neere Holborne Bridge	Th
Great Marlow, Bucks	higglers, demi-car	Swanne in the Strand	Tu
Manchester	carrier	Beare, Bassinshaw	ThF
Manchester	carrier	Axe, Aldermansbury	Th
Manchester & Lancs	carrier	Two necked Swan, Lad Lane	Th/2
Melford, Suffolk	carrier	Spread Eagle, Gracious Street	ThF
New-elme, Berks	carrier	George, Bred Street	WTh
Netherley, Staffs	carrier	Beare & Ragged Staff, Smithfield	Th
Northampton & Northants	carrier	Ram, Smithfield	daily
Northampton	carrier	Rose, Smithfield
Nottingham	carrier	Crosse Keyes, St John's Street	S/2
Nottingham	foot post	Swan, St John's Street	Th/2
Norwich	carrier	Dolphin without Bishopsgate	MTu
Newport Pannel, Bucks	carrier	Peacocke, Aldersgate Street	MTu
Nantwich, Cheshire	carrier	Axe, Aldermansbury	WThF
Nuneaton, Warks	carrier	Axe, Aldermansbury	F
Oxford	carrier	Saracens Head without Newgate	near daily
Onty, Bucks	carrier	Cocke, Aldersgate Street, Long Lane end	MTuW
Preston, Lancs	carrier	Bell, Friday Street	F
Redding, Berks	carrier	George, Bred Street	ThF
Rutland & Yorks	carrier	Ram, Smithfield	weekly
Sudbury, Suffolk	carrier	Saracens Head, Gracious Street	ThF
Sabridgeworth, Herts	carrier	Princes Arms,Leadenhall Street	Th
Stock, Essex	waines	Kings Armes, Leadenhall Street	W
Stroodwater, Glos.	carrier	Bell, Friday Street	ThF
Sisham, Northants	carrier	Saracens Head, Carter Lane	F
Sheffield, Yorks	carrier	Castle, Wood Street	ThF
Salisbury	carrier	Queenes Armes neere Holborne Bridge	Th
Shrewsbury	carrier	Mayden-head, Cat-eaton Street	Th
Shrewsbury & Salop	carrier	Bosomes Inne	Th
Stony-Stratford	carrier	Rose & Crowne, St John's Street	Tu
Saffron Market, Norfolk	footpost	Chequer, Holborne
Stampfoord	carrier	Bell, Aldersgate Street	WTh
Saffron Walden	wagon	Bull within Bishopsgate	TuW
Shaftesbury & Sherbourne	carrier	Crowne or Iarretts Hall, Baseing Lane	F
Stopfoord & Cheshire	carrier	Axe, Aldermansbury
Staffourd	carrier	Swan with two necks, Lad Lane	Th
Teuxbury, Glos.	carrier	Three Cups, Bred Street	FS
Tiverton, Devon	carrier	Starre, Bred Street	F
Tame, Oxon	carrier	Saracens Head, Carter Lane	FS
Torceter, Northants	carrier	Castle neere Smithfield Barres	Tu
Vies (or De-vises), Wilts	carrier	Swanne neere Holborne Bridge	Th
Wendover, Bucks	carrier	Blacke Swanne, Holborne	TuW
Wittham, Essex	carrier	Crosse Keyes, Gracious Street	ThF
Wallingfield, Suffolk	carrier	Spread Eagle, Gracious Street	ThF
Wallingford, Berks	carrier	George, Bred Street	WThF
Winchcombe, Glos.	carrier	Three Cups, Bred Street	FS
The clothiers of sundry parts of Wiltshire doe weekly come and lodge at the Saracens Head in Friday Street.
Warwicke	carrier	Bell, Friday Street	ThF
Woodstock, Oxon	carrier	Mermaid, Carter Lane	ThF
Wantage, Berks	carrier	Mermaid, Carter Lane	ThF
Worcester	carrier	Castle, Wood Street	FS
Winsloe, Bucks	carrier	George neere Holborne Bridge	WThF
Watford, Msex	waggon	Swanne neere Holborne Bridge	Th
Bucks	carrier	Swanne neere Holborne Bridge
Worcester	carrier	Maydenhead, Cateaton Street	Th
Worcs & Warksd	carrier	Rose & Crowne, High Holborne
Warwicke	carrier	Queenes Head neere St Giles in the fields	Th
Walsingham, Norfolk	carrier	Chequer, Holborne	Th/2
Wendover,Bucks	carrier	Bell, Holborne
Walsingham	poste	Bell, Holborne	Th/2
Ware, Herts	carrier	Dolphin without Bishopsgate	MTu
Walsingham	foote-poste	Crosse Keyes, Holborne	Th/2
Warks	carrier	Castle neere Smithfield Barres
Ware, Herts	waggon	Vine, Bishopsgate Street	FS
Wakefield, Yorks	carrier	Beare, Bashinshaw	W
Wells, Somerset	carrier	Crowne, Basing Lane	FS
Wakefield & Yorks	carrier	Axe, Aldermansbury	Th
Wakefield & Yorks	carrier	White Hart, Coleman Street	Th/2
Yorke	carrier	Bell Savage without Ludgate	F
Yorke	footepost	Rose & Crown, St John's Street	Th/2
Edenborough	post	Kings Armes (or Cradle), upper Cheapside	M
Reygate, Surrey	carrier	Falcon, Southwark	Th
Tunbridge or Seavenoake	carrier	Katherine Wheele, Southwark	Th
Faut & Staplehurst, Kent	carrier	Katherine Wheele, Southwark	Th
Hanckhurst & Blenchley, Kent	carrier	Greyhound, Southwark	Th
Darking & Ledderhead, Surrey	carrier	Greyhound, Southwark	T
Teuterden & Pensharst, Kent	carrier	Spure, Southwark	Th
Battrele, Sussex	carrier	Spure, Southwark	Th
Portsmouth, Hants	carrier	Queens Head, Southwark	WTh
Chichester & Havant	carrier	Queens Head, Southwark	WTh
Arundell, Billingshurst, Ssx	carrier	Queens Head, Southwark	WThF
Rye, Lamberhurst, Wadhurst, Ssx	carrier	Queens Head, Southwark	WThF
Godstone & Linvill, Surrey	carrier	Queens Head, Southwark	WThF
Crambroke, Bevenden, Kent	carrier	Tabbard, or Talbot, Southwark	WThF
Lewis, Petworth, Cuckfield, Ssx	carrier	Tabbard, or Talbot, Southwark	WThF
Gilford, Wennish, Surrey	carrier	George, Southwark	Th
Goudhurst, Chiddington, Surrey	carrier	George, Southwark	Th
Battell, Sindrich & Hastings, Ssx	carrier	George, Southwark	Th
Dover, Sandwich, Canterbury	carrier	White Hart, Southwark	Th
Biddenden, Mayfield, Eatonbridge	carrier	White Hart, Southwark	Th
Hebsorne,Wimbbleton,Godaliman	carrier	White Hart, Southwark	ThF
Withersham, Shoreham, Enfield	carrier	White Hart, Southwark	ThF
Horsham, Hastlemoore	carrier	White Hart, Southwark	ThF
Chilington, Westrum, Penborough	carrier	Kings Head, Southwark	Th
Slonge, Wrotham	carrier	Kings Head, Southwark	Th
Tunbridge, Kent	carrier	Green Dragon, Sowle Lane, Southwark, Meale market

Here followeth certain directions for to find out Ships, Barkes, Hoyghs & Passage Baotes, that doe come to London, from most parts and places by sea within the Kings Dominions, either England, Scotland or Ireland.

Colchster	hoigh	Smarts Key neere Billingsgate	weekly
Ipswich, Linn, Norfolk		Dice Key
Kingston upon Hull	ships	Raphs Key, Porters Key
Barwick	passage	for men & goods, Galley Key
Ireland	ship	Chesters Key
Poole, Plimouth	ship	Chesters Key
Dartmouth & Weimouth	ship	Chesters Key
Sandwich, Dover	hoigh or barke	Sabbs Key
Rochester, Margate	hoigh	St Katherines Docks
Faversham & Maydston	hoigh	St Katherines Docks
Scotland	ship	Armitage or Heritage below St Katherines
Dunkirk	ship	Custom House Key
Holland, Zealand	ship	Brewhouse, St Katherines
Deptford, Greenwich, Woolwich	tydeboat/wherry	Lion Key	twice daily
Erith, Greenhith, Rainham	tydeboat/wherry	Lion Key	twice daily
Pufleet, Grayes	tydeboat/wherry	Lion Key	twice daily
Gravesend, Milton, Kent	barges	lighthorsmen, tiltboats, werries, Billigsgate	twice daily

Passage boats & werries that do carry passengers & goods from London & back again thither, east and west above London Bridge

Kingston upon Thmaes	great boats	Bull Wharf neere Queenshith	2-3 /week
Colebrooke	boat
Maidenhead, Windsor, Stanes, Chertsey	great boat, Queenshith	TuTh
Redding	boat	Queenshith	weekly

All those that will send letters to most parts of the habitable world or any parts of our King of Great Britains Dominions, let them repaire to the General Post-Master Thomas Withering at his house in Sherburne Lane neere Abchurch.

---