cartways

Cartways are routes that were designed for or used by horse-drawn carts or wagons. The term is commonly employed in historical geography, landscape history, and archaeology to describe road-like paths that carried heavy loads before the advent of motor vehicles. Cartways typically differ from modern roads in width, construction, and surface, and they may display features such as wheel ruts, shallow camber, and drainage ditches.

Historically, cartways were essential components of local and regional logistics. They connected villages, mills, markets, mills, and ports, often following natural corridors such as river valleys or gentle slopes to ease transportation and reduce wear on teams. In many regions, cartways evolved into later road networks or were repurposed as agricultural tracks, while some remained as narrow lanes or byways. The presence of a cartway in an area can reflect historical patterns of settlement, land use, and economic activity.

In modern times, cartways are of interest to heritage professionals, planners, and archaeologists. They may be preserved as public rights of way, designated as cultural heritage assets, or recorded in historic maps and landscape surveys. Identifying a cartway can involve noting parallel wheel ruts, route alignments, and associated historical features such as hamlets, mills, or field systems. While few operational cartways remain in use for carts today, many legacies persist in place names and in the landscape.

See also: cart ruts, wagonway, packhorse road, carriageway.