▁coach es , ▁carri ers ▁and ▁trav ellers … . ▁No ▁fewer ▁than ▁ 3 8 ▁stage ▁coach es ▁passed ▁through ▁the ▁town ▁daily . ▁The ▁main ▁co aching ▁route ▁was ▁the ▁London ▁to ▁Holy head ▁route , ▁via ▁Wat ling ▁Street ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁L ich field ▁and ▁then ▁from ▁L ich field ▁to ▁Holy head ▁via ▁the ▁A 5 1 . ▁ ▁To ▁support ▁the ▁co aching ▁trade ▁Stone ▁was ▁a ▁principal ▁stopping ▁point ▁with ▁many ▁co aching ▁in ns ▁to ▁refresh ▁both ▁horses ▁and ▁trav ellers . ▁Notable ▁host el ries ▁include ▁the ▁Crown ▁Hotel , ▁Crown ▁& ▁An chor , ▁Red ▁Lion ▁and ▁the ▁Black ▁Hor se ▁Inn . ▁ ▁The ▁Tr ent ▁and ▁Mer sey ▁Canal ▁▁ ▁The ▁River ▁Tr ent , ▁which ▁runs ▁through ▁the ▁town , ▁had ▁been ▁used ▁for ▁cargo - car ry ing ▁vessels ▁since ▁Roman ▁times ▁but ▁further ▁in land ▁smaller ▁boats ▁could ▁only ▁be ▁used . ▁Season al ▁fl uct u ations ▁in ▁water ▁depth ▁proved ▁ins ur mount able , ▁although ▁cargo ▁could ▁be ▁carried ▁from ▁the ▁sea ▁as ▁far ▁south ▁as ▁Wild en ▁Fer ry ▁( s out heast ▁of ▁Derby ), ▁where ▁the ▁River ▁Der w ent ▁joins ▁the ▁Tr ent ▁and ▁increases ▁the ▁quantity ▁of ▁water , ▁then ▁on wards ▁by ▁road . ▁Prior ▁to ▁t arm ac ▁roads , ▁jour ne ys ▁over land ▁by ▁roads ▁were ▁slow ▁and ▁del icate ▁war es ▁were ▁pr one ▁to ▁break ages ▁over ▁the ▁rough ▁terrain . ▁ ▁James ▁Br