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They are colorful, range in size from small to huge, require little maintenance but for the occasional grease-swipe, they can be open, closed, or convertible, and they all have horsepower – anywhere from one to six horsepower!! That’s real horsepower! Hay-munching, tail-swishing, clean-out-the-stables horsepower.
They are carriages – the only way of getting comfortably from one place to another in a large number of our historical romances. What do we actually know about carriages, however?
Could we, enlightened readers that we are, distinguish a curricle from a high-perch phaeton? Would we want to take the barouche to the park or the landau? Well, if we wanted to get around in our favorite novels, especially those set in the Regency, we'd better make sure we have a good idea of which one is which.
It’s definitely time to take a closer look at this method of transportation!!
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The Curricle
One of the most popular carriages of its time, the curricle held one, or at most two, passengers. Favored by ladies, it was easy to control, simple to drive, and could be ordered in a variety of colors and fabrics at my Lady's pleasure. Although one horse was the accepted norm for town use, occasionally two horses would be harnessed to a curricle, especially if some distance was to be traveled, or if the driver found him or herself in a race. (Readers who recall Georgette Heyer's "Regency Buck" will recognize this illustration of Judith Taverner's curricle.) Lightweight, these vehicles were not really suited for extensive travel; the only place for luggage was next to the groom (or "Tiger") who sat behind the main compartment. A leather hood could be raised in case of inclement weather, but offered little protection from driving rain or winter winds. As you can see, the curricle was a delightful carriage for whiling away the hours with your hero, but provided very little privacy and even less room. If your favorite writer has her lovers getting into anything more than a passionate embrace in a curricle, she's flat-out wrong!
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The Phaeton
Named after the Greek mythological figure Phaethon who drove his father's chariot across the sky, the phaeton was a vital part of life in Georgian and especially Regency England. Slightly heavier than the curricle, and almost always driven with a pair of horses in harness, the phaeton would seat two people comfortably, and had the additional feature of not requiring a tiger up behind. The couple enjoying the drive could be guaranteed absolute privacy, especially if the leather hood was raised. Again, little protection was offered, however, making this a less-than-ideal way to travel long distances in inclement weather.
The high-perch phaeton was much admired by the "fast" set - a "Corvette" of phaetons, sporty and raised considerably over the axle, driving one of these carriages took more skill and technique than usual. Corinthians of the time would usually boast of their abilities to "feather a corner" (which meant coming close enough to a corner that barely a feather would pass between phaeton and wall) in their high-perch phaetons. I'm sure many of them didn't make it!! The art of creating the carriage reached a pinnacle with some of these phaetons - they were painted, varnished and polished to a high degree, and were embellished with silks, leathers and elegant tack, often using gold and silver within the reins and bridles. Ladies could and did drive these vehicles, but as you can see, it was quite a distance to the ground, and it was considered basically unsafe to allow the gentler sex to climb that high and drive such a sporty vehicle. (And if you think times have changed, just look who's driving all those 'Vettes out there!!)
The Prince Regent was a devout fan of the phaeton, but in his later years, especially during his reign as George IV, his health and girth prohibited him from driving them. Instead, he had his Royal Coachmaker adapt the design, and create the "George IV" Phaeton. This was lower, easier to get in and out of, and had a rear seat for a footman who could take over the driving if His Majesty became tired. The ladies of this period also began to favor this particular model - it allowed them to enter and exit without flashing the surrounding populace a glimpse of anything more than a well-turned ankle. He also did away with the folding leather hood (again, quite possibly his girth may have made such an enclosure uncomfortable) and used the shade of a converted parasol canopy instead. Even with these modifications, it still took at least two footmen to get His Majesty's rear end settled in the phaeton!
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The Landau
The landau was the luxury vehicle of its time. In fact, many members of England's Royal family still use a landau for State occasions. It was drawn by four horses, seated six (four very comfortably), and had a bench for a driver and guard. Designed for longer trips, it was much more weatherproof than other carriages, having two hoods that could be raised, and windows that would fit into slots in the hood, but slide down out of sight into the doors when not needed.
 When the hoods were raised, the interior became quite dark, and this is where many an intimate moment takes place in your favorite romance novels. There was little chance of being seen from the outside - the only source of light was from the two small windows at either side. There was no "rear view" window in this carriage - that feature came later as the driver's seat was lowered in relation to the body of the carriage. The seats were large, luxuriously upholstered, and the suspension system was designed to offer the least amount of discomfort over long distances. Luggage could be lashed to the rear of the landau, but if my Lord and his entourage were travelling for any length of time, then other carriages would have been pulled into service to transport the bulk of the luggage, and the servants, valet, maids, and so forth. The Barouche was quite similar to the landau, but only had a hood on one side - I guess the others were out of luck if it rained! It also explains why this was a popular summer carriage!! Also similar to the landau is the Town Coach (used by Lady Catherine deBurgh, if you recall your "Pride and Prejudice")! This had a solid top, however, and was very much a vehicle of the nobility. Extremely expensive and the ultimate in luxury, it would often carry the coat of arms of the owner on its door.
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The Gig
When in the country, Her Ladyship would often drive herself around her estates in a gig. Designed for one horse, or even a pony, they were light, easy to drive, and allowed the sunshine and summer air to brush past the occupants. The panel that protected the knees of the passengers served two purposes, firstly it kept the wind from blowing Madam's skirts around in an unseemly fashion, and secondly, it prevented too much mud from being splashed back from the horse's hooves onto the driver. A definite consideration when you think of the muddy and rutted lanes over which these vehicles drove.
Of course there are many other types of carriage, from the luxurious Berline, to the everyday hackney carriage. The Brougham was developed in the Victorian era and became very popular with the Queen and members of her court. Whatever the name or the design or the number of horses required, it is undeniably true that the only way to move around town or the country was by carriage, whether a privately-owned vehicle or the public transportation of the day, the mail coaches, which travelled the highways and byways loaded with everything from chickens to brides!! Vital to the Society of the time, carriages are also vital to our romances - they get the heroine away from that dreadful step-mama, or bring the hero to his estate with his new wife! They lose a wheel at the most inappropriate moment, or hide a couple indulging in inappropriate behavior. Many of us would love to experience the sights and sounds that driving in a carriage must bring - but only for pleasure, we're much too spoiled today by the ease with which our modern "carriages" whisk us over smoothly paved roads. Tally ho!
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Submitted by Celia, June 2002 |
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