The Coaching Era

1760

Emsworth sat on the main coastal road between Portsmouth and Chichester, and the coaching era brought travellers and trade to the town. The Blue Bell and other inns provided refreshment and stabling for coach passengers and horses. The turnpike road, now the A259, connected Emsworth to the wider road network. The coaching trade supplemented the harbour economy and brought a degree of passing traffic that benefited the town's shops and taverns. The Georgian buildings along South Street and the High Street reflect this period of modest prosperity, when Emsworth was a stopping point on a well-travelled route rather than simply a fishing harbour.