The Traveller's Companion, From Holyhead to London

Told in a series of letters, The Traveller's Companion follows the journey of an older gentleman making his way from Holyhead to London in 1792. He is motivated by reports of the improvements made since he last travelled, not only to the Welsh roads and inns, but also to the houses, the aspect of the country, and the manners of the people. Until a few decades prior, Wales had been the subject of satire by various English authors, who took pleasure in describing the country in nearly troglodytic terms, until such treatment fell out of fashion and the emphasis shifted onto the country's romantic natural beauty and spectacular landscapes. For most of the book the author traces his journey across North Wales, focusing on the history, the stately homes, the gentlemen who owned them, and what they have done for their region. Along the way, there is also mention of the burgeoning mining and cotton industries, and the companies then in operation. The industrial revolution was then still in its beginnings, so this is a portrait of a land only beginning its transformation.