The earliest recorded invented carriages go back to 1900 BC from Mesopotamia (Wikipedia contributors).  They weren’t really considered carriages at this time, but instead, would be considered to be what we know as chariots.  Its original purpose was for ease of travel for warriors during battle periods (Wikipedia contributors).  As it evolved, carriages in medieval times had coverings overtop and were reserved for the elite (Wikipedia contributors).  These carriages for the rich and upper-class citizens were pulled by either two or four horses and used wood and iron for the majority of construction (Wikipedia contributors).  In the 1500s, a faster style of the carriage called a coach was invented in Hungary (Wikipedia contributors).  This style of carriage gained traction throughout Europe and became a standard by the 1600s (Wikipedia contributors).  By the time the 18^th century rolled around, some people, like Erasmus Darwin, had grown upset with the basic design of the carriage (Wikipedia contributors).  He used it quite a lot for work and found that the front of the carriage would benefit from a pivoting front axle instead of its current structure in order to feel less of the road underneath the carriage (Wikipedia contributors).  By the end of the 1800s, the uses of carriages began to dwindle as steam travel became a primary method of voyage (Wikipedia contributors).   The usage of the carriage was heavy in the early 1800s, as depicted at the end of the novel The Tenant of Wildfell Hall as a primary method of travel for many of the characters.

Wikipedia contributors. "Carriage." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 26 Nov. 2020. Web. 2 Dec. 2020.