Research Notes


Map Group BACON 1900s

Bacon 1900s
These notes are taken from Bacon's Up-to-date Cycling Pocket Road Book of England and Wales, published by G W Bacon and Co, 127 Strand, London, 1900s. It is in a private collection.
The road book size is: wxh = 7.5x15.5cm and includes a Cycling Road Map of England and Wales. Note that the choice of routes to transcribe is biased towards a Hampshire interest.
THE ROAD BOOK
DIRECT ROADS south of London
CROSS ROADS
ITEMS in the Collection

THE ROAD BOOK
The cover is printed black on red and has an illustration of a gentleman on a safety bicycle of the period 1890s-1900s?
Bacon's 'UP-TO-DATE' Cycling Pocket Road-Book OF ENGLAND AND WALES Price 1s. Cloth Gilt, 1s.6d.
LONDON: G. W. BACON & CO., Ltd., 126, STRAND.
The title page has much the same text, set differently.

INTRODUCTION
Cycling has during the last few years developed to such a remarkable extent that good Maps and Road-Books have become an absolute necessity, and also has led to a large increase in the publication of such works.
In the pages of this work the author has endeavoured to include only such matter as is of service to the Cyclist, and has endeavoured as much as possible to avoid useless repetition.
In reference to side or cross roads on the various routes, it will be readily seen that the expressions Left and Right will be understood as the opposite on the reverse journey.
A copious list of Cross Routes throughout the country is also given.
The publishers will be glad to receive any practical suggestions or corrections from Cyclists and others, that might be useful in future editions.

HAMPSHIRE ROUTES
The route itineraries give very little information; distances stage by stage from the start point, and a few hotel names at more important places. There is no description of the route or the road conditions. Routes are in alphabetical order of the start place.
The routes that involve Hampshire are transcribed below; hotels and turnings only noted for Hampshire towns, places outside the county only included for Hampshire interest:-
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SECTION I :: DIRECT ROUTES SOUTH OF LONDON.

ROUTE 8.

London to Christchurch and Bournemouth.

       
London (Hyde Park Corner)     0
Winchester (see Route 32)     62 /34
Hursley     67 1/4
Romsey     73 1/4
  White Horse Hotel    
Cadnam     79 1/2
Lyndhurst     82
  New Forest Temperance Hotel, Lyndhurst Road; Crown Hotel    
Christchurch     97 1/4
  White Hart Hotel    
Boscombe     101
Bournemouth     102 1/2

ROUTE 13

London to Exeter by Basingstoke and Ilchester

       
London (Hyde Park Corner)     0
Basingstoke (see Route 32)     46 1/4
  The Feathers Hotel    
Whitchurch     56 3/4
  Market Hotel; White Hart Hotel    
Andover     63 1/2
  Star and Garter Hotel    
Weyhill     66 3/4
Amesbury     77 1/2
Stonehenge     79 1/4
... ...      
Exeter (see Route 14)     168 1/2

ROUTE 14.

London to Exeter by Dorchester.

       
London (Hyde Park Corner)     0
Cadnam (see Route 8)     79 1/2
Ringwood     91 1/2
Wimborne     100 3/4
  Red Lion Hotel    
... ...      
Dorchester     123
... ...      
Exeter (see Route 14)     176 1/4

ROUTE 19.

London to Land's End.

       
London (Hyde Park Corner)     0
Exeter (see Route 13)     168 1/2
... ...      
Land's End     291 1/4

ROUTE 20.

London to Land's End by Dorchester and Plymouth.

       
London (Hyde Park Corner)     0
Basingstoke (see Route 32)     46 1/4
  The Feathers Hotel    
Sutton Scotney     59 1/4
Stockbridge     67
  Grosvenor Hotel    
Salisbury     81 1/4
... ...      
Dorchester     119 3/4
... ...      
Exeter     174
... ...      
Plymouth     217 1/2
... ...      
Land's End     304 1/4

ROUTE 22.

London to Lymington

       
London (Hyde Park Corner)     0
Southampton (see Route 32)     75
  (cross from Southampton by Steam Ferry to)    
Hythe     77
Beaulieu     82
Lymington     88 1/2
  Anglesea Hotel    
  (Christchurch 12 3/4)    

ROUTE 24.

London to Poole.

       
London (Hyde Park Corner)     0
Cadnam (see Route 8)     79 1/2
Ringwood     91
  White Hart Hotel    
Longham     98 1/2
Poole     104 1/4

ROUTE 25.

London to Portsmouth by Alton.

       
London (Hyde Park Corner)     0
... ...      
Staines     16 3/4
Bagshot     26 1/2
Farnborough (Hants)     32 1/4
  Railway Hotel    
Aldershot     35 1/2
Farnham     38 1/2
Froyle     44
Alton     47 1/2
  Swan Hotel    
Chawton     48 3/4
West Meon     59
Droxford     63 3/4
Fareham     72 1/4
  Red Lion Hotel    
Gosport     78
Portsmouth     78 1/2
  George Hotel; North's Hotel; Totterdell's Hotel, Portsea; Alexandra Hotel, Southsea    

ROUTE 26.

London to Portsmouth by Guildford.

       
London (Westminster Bridge)     0
Haslemere (see Route 7)     45
Petersfield     57 1/2
  Red Lion Hotel    
Horndean     65
  Ship and Bell Hotel    
  (left Havant 4 3/4)    
Cosham     71
Portsmouth     75 3/4
  Totterdell's Hotel, Portsea; North's Hotel, Cambridge Junction    

ROUTE 31.

London to Southampton by Alresford.

       
London (Westminster Bridge)     0
Guildford     31 1/4
Farnham     41 1/4
Bentley     45 1/4
Froyle     47
Alton     50 1/2
  Swan Hotel    
Chawton     51 3/4
Medstead     55
Alresford     60 3/4
  Swan Hotel    
Winchester     68 3/4
  Market Hotel; Star Hotel; Crown and Cushion Hotel    
Otterbourne     73
Southampton (Bargate)     81
  Bedford Hotel    

ROUTE 32.

London to Southampton, Cowes, and Ryde (isle of Wight), by Basingstoke.

       
London (Hyde Park Corner)     0
... ...      
Staines     17 1/2
... ...      
Bagshot     27 1/4
... ...      
Blackwater     32
Hartley Row     37 1/2
Hook     40 1/2
Scures     42 1/4
Basingstoke     46 1/4
  The Feathers Hotel    
Popham Lane     51 3/4
Winchester     62 3/4
  Market Hotel; Star Hotel; Crown and Cushion Hotel    
Otterbourne     67
Southampton (Bargate)     75
  Bedford Hotel    
Isle of Wight      
  By Steamer ... ...    

ROUTE 33.

London to Swanage.

       
London (Hyde Park Corner)     0
Cadnam (see Route 8)     79 1/2
Ringwood     91
  White Hart Hotel    
Wimborne     99 1/2
... ...      
Swanage     121 1/2

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SECTION III :: CROSS ROADS

ROUTE 100.

Alton to Reading by Odiham.

       
Alton     0
  Swan Hotel    
South Warnborough     5 1/2
Odiham     8 1/2
  Three Tuns Hotel    
Hook     11
Heckfield     15 3/4
Reading     24

ROUTE 101.

Andover to Devizes.

       
Andover     0
  Star and Garter Hotel    
Weyhill     3 1/4
Ludgershall     7 1/4
... ...      
Devizes     27 1/4

ROUTE 116.

Basingstoke to Maidstone by Alton and Guildford.

       
Basingstoke     0
  The Feathers Hotel    
Alton     11 1/2
  Swan Hotel    
Froyle     15
Bentley     16 3/4
Farnham     20 3/4
Guildford     30 3/4
Maidstone (see Route 304 reversed)     86

ROUTE 145.

Bournemouth to Birmingham by Southampton and Oxford.

       
Bournemouth     0
... ...      
Christchurch (Hants)     5 1/4
  White Hart Hotel    
Hinton     9 3/4
Holmesley Station     13 1/4
Lyndhurst     20 1/2
  Crown Hotel; New Forest temperance Hotel, Lyndhurst Road    
Totton     26
Southampton     30
  Bedford Hotel    
Bassett     33 1/2
Otterbourne     38
Winchester     42 1/2
  Market Hotel; Star Hotel; Crown and Cushion Hotel    
Sutton Scotney     49 1/4
Whitchurch (Hants)     54 1/4
  White Hart Hotel    
Litchfield     58 1/4
... ...      
Newbury     67 1/4
... ...      
Oxford     94
... ...      
Birmingham     157 1/4

ROUTE 146.

Bournemouth to Gloucester by Marlborough and Cirencester.

       
Bournemouth     0
... ...      
Christchurch (Hants)     5 1/4
  White Hart Hotel    
Sopley     8 3/4
Ringwood     14 1/2
  White Hart Hotel    
Fordingbridge     20 1/2
  Crown Hotel; Albany Temperance Hotel    
Downton Wick     25 1/2
Salisbury     31 1/2
Amesbury     39 1/2
... ...      
Gloucester     104 1/4

ROUTE 166.

Bude to Lewes by Salisbury and Arundel.

       
Bude     0
... ...      
Salisbury     142 1/2
Lobscomb Corner     150
Stockbridge     156 3/4
  Grosvenor Hotel    
Weeke     164
Winchester     165
  Market Hotel; Star Hotel; Crown and Cushion Hotel    
Bramdean     174 1/2
Langrish     181 3/4
Petersfield     184 1/2
  Red Lion Hotel    
Rogate     189 1/4
Midhurst     194 1/2
... ...      
Lewes     235

ROUTE 197.

Chichester to Oxford.

       
Chichester     0
... ...      
Midhurst     11 3/4
... ...      
Rogate     17 1/4
Petersfield     21 3/4
  Red Lion Hotel    
East Tisted     30 1/4
Alton     35 1/4
  Swan Hotel    
South Warnborough     40 3/4
Odiham     43 1/2
  Three Tuns Hotel    
Hook     46 1/4
Heckfield     51
Reading     59 1/4
... ...      
Oxford     84 1/4

ROUTE 202.

Cirencester to Portsmouth.

       
Cirencester     0
... ...      
Ludgershall     38 1/4
Andover      
  Star and Garter Hotel    
  (left Whitchurch 7; right Amesbury 14; right Salisbury 17)    
Wherwell     49
Winchester     59 1/2
  Market Hotel; Star Hotel    
  (left Alresford 7 3/4; right Stockbridge 8 1/2)    
Otterbourne     63 3/4
Bassett     68 1/4
Southampton     71 3/4
  Bedford Hotel    
Bursledon     75 3/4
Titchfield     79
  Bugle Hotel    
Portsmouth     87 1/4
  George Hotel; Totterdell's Hotel, Portsea; North's Hotel, Cambridge Junction; Alexandra Hotel, Southsea    

ROUTE 223.

Devizes to Bournemouth by Salisbury

       
Devizes     0
... ...      
Salisbury     25 1/2
... ...      
Downton Wick     31 1/2
Fordingbridge     36 1/2
  Crown Hotel; Albany Temperance Hotel    
Ibsley     40
Ringwood     42 3/4
  White Hart Hotel    
Sopley     48 1/2
Christchurch (Hants)     52
... ...      
Bournemouth     57 1/4

ROUTE 236.

Farnham to Petersfield.

       
Farnham (Surrey)     0
Greatham     12
Sheet     16 1/4
Petersfield     17 1/2
  Red Lion Hotel    

ROUTE 240.

Gosport to Winchester.

       
Gosport     0
Brockhurst     2 1/2
Titchfield     7 3/4
  Bugle Hotel    
Botley     13 3/4
  Dolphin Hotel    
Twyford (Hants)     21 1/4
Winchester     24 3/4
  Market Hotel; Star Hotel    

ROUTE 304.

Margate to Oxford by Reading.

       
Margate     0
... ...      
Guildford     99
... ...      
Yately     116 3/4
Eversley     120
... ...      
Reading     129 1/2
... ...      
Oxford     161

ROUTE 305.

Margate to Southampton and Bournemouth by Brighton and Folkestone.

       
Margate     0
... ...      
Brighton     108
... ...      
Chichester     138 3/4
... ...      
Emsworth     145 3/4
Havant     147 3/4
  Bear Hotel    
Cosham     152
Porchester     154 1/2
  Railway Hotel    
Fareham     157
  Red Lion Hotel    
Titchfield     159 1/4
  Bugle Hotel    
Bursledon Bridge     163 1/2
  (at 1m. left Southampton by Itchen Ferry 5 1/2)    
Southampton     167 3/4
  Bedford Hotel    
  (cross by steam ferry to Hythe 169 3/4)    
Lymington     181
  Londesborough Hotel    
Downton     185 1/4
Christchurch     192 3/4
  White Hart Hotel    
... ...      
Bournemouth     198

ROUTE 321.

Oxford to Chichester.

       
Oxford     0
... ...      
Reading     29
... ...      
Heckfield     37 1/4
Hook     42
  (right Basingstoke 5 3/4)    
Odiham     44 1/2
  (right Alton 8 1/4)    
Ewshot     49 1/2
Farnham     52 3/4
  (left Guildford 11 1/2; left Aldershot 5)    
Liphook     65
Haslemere     69 1/4
... ...      
Midhurst     77 1/2
... ...      
Chichester     89 1/2

ROUTE 324.

Oxford to Salisbury.

       
Oxford     0
... ...      
Newbury     27 1/4
Highclere     32 1/2
Hurstbourne Tarrant     38 1/2
Andover     44
  Star and Garter Hotel    
Upper Wallop     51
Salisbury     62

ROUTE 329.

Portsmouth to Aldershot.

       
Portsmouth     0
  George Hotel; Totterdell's Hotel, Portsea; North's Hotel, Cambridge Junction; Alexandra Hotel, Southsea    
Cosham     5
Horndean     10 3/4
Petersfield     18 1/4
  Red Lion Hotel    
Lyss     22 1/2
... ...      
Farnham (Surrey)     36
Aldershot     39
  Queen Hotel    

ROUTE 345.

Salisbury to Newbury.

       
Salisbury     0
Lobscomb Corner     7 1/2
Middle Wallop     10 1/4
Andover     17 3/4
  Star and Garter Hotel    
Hurstbourne Tarrant     23 1/4
Highclere     29 1/4
Newbury     34 1/2

ROUTE 352.

Southampton to Bath.

       
Southampton     0
  Bedford Hotel    
Shirley     2 1/4
Romsey     8
  White Horse Hotel    
Sherfield     12 1/2
... ...      
Salisbury     23 1/2
... ...      
Bath     63 1/4

ROUTE 353.

Southampton to Birmingham by Andover, Oxford, and Stratford-on-Avon.

       
Southampton     0
  Bedford Hotel    
Shirley     2 1/4
Romsey     8
  White Horse Hotel    
Mottisfont     12 1/2
Stockbridge     18 1/2
  Grosvenor Hotel    
Fullerton Station     22 1/4
Andover     26 1/4
  Star and Garter Hotel    
Hurstbourne Tarrant     31 1/2
Highclere     37 1/2
Newbury     42 3/4
... ...      
Oxford     69 3/4
... ...      
Stratford-on-Avon     109 1/4
... ...      
Birmingham     138 1/2

ROUTE 354.

Southampton to Bournemouth

       
Southampton     0
  Bedford Hotel    
Millbrook     2 1/4
Totton     4
Lyndhurst     9 1/4
  Crown Hotel; New Forest Temperance Hotel    
Holmesley     15 1/2
Christchurch     23 1/2
  White Hart Hotel    
... ...      
Bournemouth     29

ROUTE 381.

Winchester to Aylesbury by Whitchurch and Reading.

       
Winchester     0
  Market Hotel; Star Hotel    
Sutton Scotney     7
  (right Basingstoke 14; left Stockbridge 7 1/4)    
Whitchurch (Hants)     12
  White Hart Hotel    
  (right Overton 3 1/2; left Andover 7)    
Kingsclere     20
  (left Newbury 7 1/4)    
Baughurst     24
Aldermaston     27 3/4
... ...      
Reading     37 3/4
... ...      
Aylesbury     76 1/2

ROUTE 382.

Winchester to Brighton.

       
Winchester     0
  Market Hotel; Star Hotel    
Cheriton     7 1/2
Bramdean     9 1/2
Petersfield     19 1/2
  Red Lion Hotel    
Rogate     24 1/4
Midhurst     29 1/2
... ...      
Brighton     64 1/4

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ITEMS  in HMCMS Map Collection and Private Collections   (scanned item in bold)
private collection (25) -- road book (illustrated)
private collection (25_1) -- road map (illustrated)
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   All Old Hampshire Mapped Resources