This drawing was not produced from an actual vehicle, but from the photographs and description in George Sturt's classic book "The Wheelwright's Shop". It embodies all the features of the typical village made dung cart, before it was replaced by factory made vehicles, and incorporates the names of parts as given by George Sturt. I do not know of any surviving example of such a cart in its original condition, but all the details of its structure are shown on this plan.

Built in 1909 by Brookes of Gloucester, this was a very showy outfit for taking produce to market, painted in red and blue. The spindled sides give the vehicle a lighter appearance, but it is actually quite large and heavy, and would have been used on occasions for sheep and pigs as well as for vegetables and for the farmer's personal transport.

The North of England does not have the variety of farm waggons found in the South, but to compensate for this their carts are very large, well made and, in this example, really elegant. The North of England Open Air Museum at Beamish has this cart on display in the Home Farm. It was built by Brown of Mitford, and was stored away in a barn when almost new, so it is in excellent condition. Note the light open spindled sides and the nicely curved rails.

This Wiltshire dung cart is in the Jackson Collection at the Old Kiln Museum. It is small but strongly built, and is a nice shape, flaring up at the rear and tapering to the front. These features helped in handling the dense compact loads. This small cart is painted blue, with red wheels and shafts. It was built in 1926 near Warminster.

 

 

 

The earliest form of wheel such as was evolved in the Near East thousands of years ago is perpetuated on this simple vehicle. It is typical of carts used on the Gower peninsular for harvesting bracken and hay. Such vehicles represent the first stage in the development of wheeled transport from the sled or slide car. This truckle cart is one of several in the collection of the Welsh Folk Museum at St. Fagans, and was used at Llangennith, Glamorgan.

The Gambo is the Welsh version of the haywain, built with a long low platform to suit use in hilly country. This example has been restored for display at the Welsh Folk Museum, having been in use previously at Taly-bont-on-Usk. When loaded the vehicle would be invisible beneath a mountain of hay, with the wheels kept clear by the side ladders. Used extensively in Southern and Eastern Wales and also in the boarder counties.

 

 

Compared with English carts this one is not only long, but also narrow, to suite Welsh lanes. It has rails above the sides to deepen the body; the shafts are in one piece with the body frames, and can be lifted off from the axle. These carts were used for harvest work in Wales during late Victorian times, and similar vehicles were used in the North of England and Scotland. This example was built in 1920, and is now at the Welsh Folk Museum at St. Fagans, near Cardiff.