In The Beginning

Caravans go back well into the last century or even further if you consider purely a house on wheels. Although travelling showmen and later Gypsies took to the road in all sorts of horse drawn caravans in the early nineteenth century it is generally accepted that the first leisure caravan was Dr. W. Gordon-Stables’ “Wanderer”’. This was a purpose built 18ft design built by the Bristol Carriage Company around 1880 being based on their Bible Wagons. Dr. Gordon Stables was a writer of boys books and used the “Wanderer” as a mobile study whilst writing. Perhaps his most famous book as far as we are concerned is “The Cruise Of The Land Yacht Wanderer” which he wrote on his epic journey to Scotland.