but the earth mound still exists. It is a Scheduled Monument referred to as The Hillings. The castle was built during a period of civil war over the succession to the throne. Matilda was the heir to King Henry I but a faction of barons supported Stephen. In the civil war that followed several fortified positions were quickly thrown up, in support of Stephen. One of these was Eaton Socon Castle. Stephen's supporters won and he was installed as king. When he died in 1154, Matilda's son Henry succeeded as King Henry II. One of his first acts was to order the demolition of the castles, which were referred to as adulterine. Some habitable accommodation must have remained, and was occupied in the 13th century by a Lady Juliana de Beauchamp. Notwithstanding its demolition, the castle and the remaining residential occupation conferred considerable prestige on Eaton. Only an earth mound remains at the present day. Turnpikes and stage coaches The roads that were adequate for static populations in the sixteenth century were becoming a hindrance to the commercial progress. By 1700 a few turnpikes had been set up: a turnpike was a toll road: the toll income was used to improve and maintain the road surface. The tolls were resented by people who had formerly used the road for nothing. Eventually local Acts of Parliament were passed to enable turnpike trusts to manage sections of road. In 1725 a Trust was established to manage the Great North Road between Biggleswade and Alconbury. Improved roads meant more travelling and the number of coaches and carriages passing through St Neots and Eaton Socon increased. It was during the 18th century that road travel reached its zenith, when the stagecoach was introduced. Teams of horses were changed at intervals of 10 or 12 miles, known as stages, enabling the coach to keep going, stopping only for the change, and for meal stops. Coaching inns along the line of route arranged the feed and rest of the horses and had them ready at the specified time for the next run by the same coach operator. Overnight accommodation was provided, as in general any long transit took several days, although some coaches continued through the night. Feed for the horses was the largest expense for the operator. By 1754 coaches were travelling from London as far as Edinburgh. At the height of stagecoach activity there