_This, the fourth volume in a series of books having for its object the preservation of so much of the Story of the Roads as may be interesting to the reading public, has been completed after considerable delay. The_ DOVER ROAD, _which preceded the present work, was published so long ago as the close of 1895, and in that book the_ BATH ROAD _was (prematurely, it should seem, indeed) described as "In the Press." Attention is drawn to the fact, partly in order to point out how quickly and how surely the old-time aspects of the roads are disappearing; for, since the_ BATH ROAD _has been in progress, no fewer than four of the old inns pictured in these pages have disappeared, while great stretches of the road, once rural, have become suburban, and suburban streets have been so altered that they are in no wise distinguishable from those of town. It is because they will preserve the appearance and the memory of buildings that have had their day and are now being swept off the face of the earth, that it is hoped these volumes will find a welcome with those who care to cherish something of the records of a day that is done._ CHARLES G. HARPER. PETERSHAM, SURREY, _February, 1899_. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS SEPARATE PLATES PAGE 1. GEORGE THE THIRD TRAVELLING FROM WINDSOR TO LONDON, 1806. (_After R. B. Davis_) Frontispiece. 2. COACHING MISERIES. (_After Rowlandson_) 7 3. PASSENGERS REFRESHED AFTER A LONG DAY'S JOURNEY. (_After Rowlandson_) 13 4. THE "WHITE BEAR," PICCADILLY 23 5. ALLEN'S STALL AT HYDE PARK CORNER, ABOUT 1756 35 6. HYDE PARK CORNER, 1797 41 7. KENSINGTON HIGH STREET, SUMMER SUNSET 47 8. COLNBROOK, A DECAYED COACHING TOWN 101 9. AN ENGLISH ROAD 125 10. MAIDENHEAD THICKET 131 11. THE STAGE WAGGON. (_After Rowlandson_) 139 12. THEALE 143 13. WOOLHAMPTON 147 14. RAIL AND RIVER: THE KENNET AND THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY 151 15. AT THE 55TH MILESTONE 155 16. HUNGERFORD 169 17. MARLBOROUGH 189 18. FYFIELD 195 19. MARLBOROUGH DOWNS, NEAR WEST OVERTON 199 20. THE WHITE HORSE, CHERHILL 207 21. THE OLD MARKET HOUSE, CHIPPENHAM 211