The post chaise was a type of four wheeled carriage used for private hire, operating between inns and post houses, where fresh horses and drivers could also be engaged.

This system of cross-country travel was introduced from Europe by a retired artilleryman named John Tull in 1743.

By the 1800s a great many Yellow Bounders, as they became known, were operating in England, a large number of which were painted bright yellow and black.

A replica of one of these carriages visited Salisbury in 2005 for the re-enactment of Lieutenant John Lapenotierre’s journey from Falmouth to London in 1805.

This recounted the extraordinary journey travelled over sea and land to bring home the official Dispatch (report) from the Battle of Trafalgar - Lapenotiere carried the first news of victory and the death of Admiral Nelson as depicted in our picture.

The larger types of horse-drawn vehicles used for inner-city travel were called post coaches, and they also operated between inns and post houses but unlike the ‘on-demand’ system of the post chaise, post coaches ran at scheduled times.

Among the regular post coach services running from Salisbury more than 200 years ago was the Bristol and Bath Coach, departing from the Red Lion Hotel every day at 11am (except Sundays.)

Lye’s Waggon covered the same route, leaving from The Goat, in Milford Street, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings. Joy’s coach left for Christchurch and Lymington, at 5am on Wednesday mornings and at 9am on Sundays.

The White Hart Hotel was the departure point for several services, including a mail coach run (with armed guard all the way) which set out on the Dorchester, Exeter and Plymouth service at 5am daily, also to London every night at 7pm.

Their advert in the Salisbury Journal stated: “Parcels regularly booked, and great care is taken of their immediate delivery. Good convenience for carrying game.”