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A travel diarist in Hampshire - John Byng
After Melesina Trench's poem about her uncomfortable experience in a Hampshire hostelry, I've now come across a travel diarist who spent much of his time lamenting the state of the inns he stayed in. John Byng (a nephew of the famous Admiral John Byng who was executed for dereliction of duty in 1757) wrote diaries recording all his trips around
Byng was a bit of a grumbler, which makes his diaries all the more interesting! His trip from
The road from Farnham to Alton is most enchanting......and the villages of Bentley, Froyle and Holyport, thro' which I pass'd, are neat, and embellished with good houses, and gentlemens seats.....I thought I perceiv'd here much beauty in the female peasantry, and so I suppose I shall go on fancying till I arrive at perfection at my journey's end.
Winchester, George Inn: no civil treatment could be got, or for some time any room for myself; till at last by calling about me lustily, I avoided being put into a room with servants; and by dint of perserverance, took care of myself, my horse, and my dog......My bed was equally unpleasant with the rest of my treatment, and adding as little to my composure; sleep was not to be found and thro' the night I sweated on a soft feather-bed and dirty blankets, wishing for the morning's light.
More details from John Byng's travels in Hampshire can be found at http://www.geog.port.ac.uk/webmap/hantscat/html/byng1.htm
25 August 2009 from Jane the Archivist
Finds
- And here is one we missed
- And, finally, one for Hallowe'en
- How did we miss this one?
- John Wyndham's Hampshire connection
- Reading the countryside
- New Milton's new Milton
- Heywood Sumner in South Gorley
- PG Wodehouse in Emsworth
- Walking In My Sleep
- Nicola Slade's Victorian Mysteries
- England's Lost Eden
- June Tate
- Bullington
- Speed The Plough: A Country Song
- A Hampshire scarecrow: Worzel Gummidge
- Queens Arms
- Haslar Hospital Memories
- Magical writing for children
- Inspired by the Tichborne Claimant
- Gypsy Girl Trilogy
- Rev. Gilbert White (1720-1793) and The Natural History of Selborne
- Coffee with Date and Walnut Loaf
- The Play Room
- Kipling's dislikes
- Deadman's Plack
- Netley Abbey Ruins
- Portsea Sagas
- Lilian Harry's Family Connections
- Crossing the Bar
- John Betjeman and Bevis Hillier
- Growing up in Portsmouth
- More Edward Thomas
- Two blokes and a shed
- In the shadow of the Cathedral
- Hampshire Days
- Mr Hardy Writes a Poem
- "Steep" is apt
- Thackeray in Fareham
- Forgotten Favourite?
- Daniel Clay's 'Broken'
- Pell and Tess
- Edward Thomas and Froxfield
- Betjeman explores hidden corners of Hampshire
- Rebecca Smith
- Right of Access
- Hampshire songs, poems, and ditties
- In this house
- Words & Walks
- England, Their England
- An Ode to a Road
- The story of a house
- Crime Connections to the City
- John Keat's Ode to Autumn
- William Lisle Bowles, poet
- Future Princes of Winchester
- Spike Island by Philip Hoare
- The marriage of souls
- Rural Rides: William Cobbett
- Elinor Brent-Dyer remembered
- Dornford Yates' Hampshire connection
- The Marlows, their maker and stealing a corner of Dorset
- Saint Cross: England's Oldest Almshouse
- Winchester the whole day through
- HOW TO BE A BETTER PERSON
- Otterbourne's Enid Blyton? Charlotte M. Yonge (1823-1901)
- Odo's Hanging is missing
- The Warden
- Charles Kingsley's Letters
- Owslebury Bottom
- See it My Way
- Introduction to Melesina Trench
- Some Hampshire road signs read Jane Austen Country
- Flora Thompson: published poet
Recent posts
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- A272: An Ode to a Road (by Andy)
- The hunt continues
- Winchester MP Mark Oaten to publish book
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- Poetry in the pub
- Wealth of words in Winchester
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