Dear Robert,
Thankyou for your interesting Post.
I shall indeed endeavour to obtain and read the vols. you propose
as-&-when time permits. It is a subject slightly removed from my normal field of
view so to speak.
This subject has certainly indeed received a considerable amount of
attention. I take no particular stance on it at present, since I always look at
things with an open mind until proof positive enables a thoroughly
balanced/considered opinion. There certainly seems to be heavy proof favouring the
overall generalities and history - as Chris further mentions in his Post.
There is one point only where I am curious: landowners were in many cases keen
to see their lands developed and reward obtained from same, therefore, it
is not within the bounds of possibility that some of these things just
might have been constructed by them... indeed, utilising even an existing
system that was constructed for whatever purpose. As Chris says, it is highly
unlikely that small or even medium scale tinners would go to the expense and
trouble to build such routes on such a scale - just wouldn't be worth their
while - but later construction just might have been added to the 'network'
by landowners &/or very prosperous to make them suitable for transport
(gnrl. or mineral). The only caveat I have, is that if reeve constructions
had/have been used for pack trans., they could well still show signs of such
usage. I also suppose it could be said who would have gone to the time,
trouble and expense of building these constructions in the first place, when
basic stone markers would have been sufficient for purpose?
Regards, Bernard
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