A Pedestrian Tour of Thirteen Hundred and Forty-Seven Miles Through Wales and England, Pedestres and Sir Clavileno Woodenpeg — 1stt Edition

A Pedestrian Tour of Thirteen Hundred and Forty-Seven Miles Through Wales and England, Pedestres and Sir Clavileno Woodenpeg — First Edition

Publication: London, Saunders and Otley, 1836.

Formatting: 2 vols. 8vo, pp. xii, 396; [iv], 348, plus publisher's advertisements.

Condition Report: Very Good. This two-volume set has been expertly rebound in period-style two-tone paper boards with clean, printed paper spine labels. As a result, the bindings are exceptionally tight, square, and entirely free of shelf-wear or rubbing. The text block edges have been left entirely untrimmed, retaining their prominent, rustic deckle, while exhibiting moderate age-toning and light dust-soiling typical of 19th-century paper stock. Internally, the leaves are generally bright, supple, and firmly attached, though intermittent foxing and minor blemishes are present, most notably affecting the preliminary pages, text margins, and rear advertisement leaves. Purple institutional ink stamps for 'The North Devon Athenaeum Barnstaple' are boldly struck to the title pages and select publisher's advertisements, acting as the sole prominent markings. The folding engraved map detailing the tour from Sidmouth to Liverpool remains neatly preserved at the rear. The robust structural integrity of the modern binding combined with the preserved internal character makes for a handsome and highly readable set.

Catalogue Note: First Edition. A uniquely charming and scarce British travelogue written under the eccentric pseudonyms of "Pedestres" and his anthropomorphised walking stick, "Sir Clavileno Woodenpeg, Knight of Snowdon".

The work is illustrated with a substantial folding engraved map detailing the extensive tour from Sidmouth to Liverpool. Complete two-volume sets of this work are exceedingly uncommon on the open market, particularly those that remain intact with their original folding maps.

This specific copy carries the institutional stamps of The North Devon Athenaeum in Barnstaple, denoting its historical provenance within a prominent regional library. The work has been handsomely rebound in a clean, period-appropriate two-tone binding that beautifully preserves the text blocks' original, untrimmed deckle edges.

A delightfully eccentric and deeply descriptive 19th-century travelogue, A Pedestrian Tour chronicles an epic 1,347-mile walk across Wales and England. The anonymous author, writing as 'Pedestres', documents the changing landscapes, rural customs, and chance encounters of early 1830s Britain. His only constant companion is 'Sir Clavileno Woodenpeg,' a steadfast walking stick elevated to the status of a knighted travel partner. Dedicated to all "petty walkers in go-carts" and "mighty pedestrians on their own hind-legs," alongside wishes for "the prosperity of St. Crispin, and plenty of tough shoeleather," the narrative is brimming with wit, literary allusions, and romantic observations of the natural world. This two-volume set offers a uniquely personal window into British topography and the burgeoning 19th-century culture of recreational pedestrianism.