Scottish Roads

'If you'd seen these roads before they were made,
You'd lift up your hands and bless General Wade.'
The old rhyme said it all. Until the early 18th century there were no roads through the Scottish Highlands, only the Drove roads which were paths beaten through the Straths and Glens by countless cattle on their way to the southern markets. It was not until the Government, alarmed after the 1715 rebellion, commissioned General Wade to built military roads to help police the Highlands of Scotland.

Routes, Roads, Regiments and Rebellions: A Brief History of the Life and Work of General George Wade (1673-1748) the Father of the Military Roads in Scotland. This is a contribution to the definition of the history of Scotland. It reflects the difficulties faced by those who wanted to access the troublesome Highlands following the Disarming Act of 1725, and how those difficulties were curtailed by the construction of a network of military roads between 1725 and 1736. It provides a comprehensive review of the life and work of the principal architect of that network, General George Wade. It examines the contribution to the road-building programme of Wade's friend and ally William Caulfield and explores the development of the roads from Wade's death until their decline through the advent of more modern means of road construction. In general, the book traces Wade's life as a soldier, MP, road builder and philanthropist. It covers instances where Wade had to deal with certain effects of the Jacobite rebellions of 1715 and 1745, and it traces connections between Wade's life and that of other famous contemporaries such as Samuel Johnson, James Wolfe, Jack Porteous and the sculptor Louis-Francois Roubiliac. These interesting facts are supplemented by an attractive set of sketches. Taken together, the text and illustrations serve to provide a lively interpretation of some fascinating aspects of Scottish history. Routes, Roads, Regiments and Rebellions: A Brief History of the Life and Work of General George Wade (1673-1748) the Father of the Military Roads in Scotland (Lesser Known Heroes).