THE Golden Age of Coaching was the title of a talk by Graham Sutherland.
As Town Crier of Warwick, Mr Sutherland easily addressed the audience with the topic of stagecoaches.
He explained the word ''stage'' was the distance between two overnight stops, while ''coach'' was derived from the name of a similar sounding Hungarian town where the vehicle was invented.
In 1794, John Palmer, of Bath, provided the inspiration for transporting post and passengers by coach. This was a significant enterprise because a coach and horses in today's money would cost £30,000.
Coaching inns developed in response to the need for accommodation and were characterised by high archway entrances to courtyards.
Alcester was on stagecoach routes and inns in the town became halts.
The next talk, The History of Spectacles, will be at 8pm on Wednesday, September 14 at the Greig Centre. Visitors welcome.
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