Places of Interest
Cars first began to appear on the roads of Britain from around 1895 but, perhaps not surprisingly, the architectural landscape at the time was not particularly suited to these new machines.
Over the next 100 years, towns and cities throughout Britain were re-shaped with new roads, systems of traffic control, and special buildings, all designed to facilitate greater use of the car.
The first, the last, the largest and smallest of these are remembered in this section, as are some of the many other places linked, in all kinds of ways, to the development of Britain’s motoring history.
Further information
• Twentieth Century Industrial Archaeology, Michael Stratton and Barrie Trinder, E & FN Spon, 2000.
• Carscapes, the motor car, architecture and landscapes in England, Kathryn A Morrison and John Minnis, Yale University Press, 2012.
The home of the Hon Mrs Victor Bruce, pioneer motorist and aviator, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, © Tony Thorpe.