Call Number:

Ms. Codex 1733

Repository:

University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts

Extent:

0.08 linear feet (2 volumes)

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

Henry Wansey "A Commercial Traveller's Journal," 1816, Ms. Codex 1733, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania

Date:

1816 (inclusive)

Creator:

Wansey, Henry

Form:

Travel journalism

Abstract:

This collection contains two travel journals from England in 1816 probably created by Henry Wansey. Each journal contains notes and observations about the author's travels through England and the second volume includes an "Alphabetical Index of Towns and Commercial Inns" and a table of the distances traveled.

There is no author directly attributed to these two travel journals, but due to evidence found within the texts, the author is likely Henry Wansey. Wansey (1751-1827) lived in England. Early in his career, Wansey worked in business as a clothier, but he left that profession in the late 1700s to devote his life to travel, literature, and antiquarian research. He authored several travel journals and published several of them including "An Excursion to the United States of America" in 1796. He also served as the vice-president of the Bath and West of England Agricultural Society and was a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

This collection consists of two travel journals containing notes and observations, probably by Henry Wansey, about travels through England. The author traveled through England during the summer of 1816 and stayed in each town for no more than a few days. In the journals, he discusses the journey between his various destinations, specific landmarks in each town, the places he stayed, and his personal reaction to each town. He also includes detailed sketches to accompany some of his observations. Each volume contains details from the towns he visited in chronological order and the final volume contains an "Alphabetical Index of Towns and Commercial Inns" and a table of the distances he traveled.

This collection contains volumes 1 and 3 of what appears to have been a set of three. The first volume in this collection is clearly marked "Volume I." The second volume, however, is titled "Volume II" on the title page (although it appears that the volume number may have been altered), but "Vol. 3" is clearly written on the spine. Furthermore, the alphabetical index indicates that the contents of this volume are contained within Volume III. Researchers should be aware that the original Volume II is not held by the University of Pennsylvania and was not acquired with these two volumes.

"A Commercial Traveller's Journal containing a few hints for a short memory, Vol. I" begins on July 31, 1816, but thereafter, no dates are recorded. Wansey describes visits to Windsor, Reading, Henley, Great Marlow, High Wycombe, Risborough, Oxford, Abingdon, Newberry, Hungerford, Marlborough, Calne, Devizes,Trowbridge, Bradford, Bath, Bristol, Cross-hands, Stroud, Cirencester, Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, Gloucester, Ross, Hereford, Monmouth, Chepstow, Tintern Abbey, Ledbury, Worcester, Droitwich, Bromesgrove, Bromyard, Leominster, Ludlow, Cleobury Mortimer, Bewdley, Kidderminster, Stourbridge, Dudley, Birmingham, Walsall,Wolverhampton, Bridgenorth, Wenlock Priory, Iron Bridge, Buildwas Abbey, Shrewsbury, Owestry, Chirk, Pont Cysyllte, Vale of the Llangollen, Ellesmere, Wenn, Wellington, Shiffnal, Newport, Market Drayton, Whitchurch, Hawkestone Park, Nantwich, Tarporley, and Chester. Wansey writes extensively on Dr. Bell's School in Tewkesbury and the China Manufactory in Worcester.

The final volume begins in Bradford and continues with descriptions of Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds, Tadcaster, York, Wakefield, Pontefract, Ferry-Bridge, Doncaster, Barnsley, Wentworth, Rotherham, Sheffield, Chesterfield, Mansfield, Newark, Nottingham, Derby, Ashborn, Leek, Newcastle, Stone, Stafford, Litchfield, Tamworth, Atherstone, Hinckley, Leicester, Coventry, Kenilworth, Stratford upon Avon, Warwick, Learnington, Southam, Daventry, Northampton, Stoney Stratford, Buckingham, Winslow, Aylesbury, Wendover, Uxbridge, and Richmond. While in Kenilworth, Wansey described Kenilworth Castle in detail.