[kubafu]

I often have this thought of how different the world sounded when combustion engines (cars, motorcycles, planes, tractors, etc) weren't ubiquitous.

I happily grew up in the 80s in a place (communist Poland, so rather small car ownership) with very little artificial noise, but that is gone now.

How was it hundreds of years ago?

[spockz]

I’m not sure whether the clatter of (ironed) hooves on cobblestone combined with the carriage wheels on stone plus the grind of the axles was so much quieter. It’s just that there are so many more sources of sound around us within our daily habitat that it is hard too escape it.

Even in our relatively quiet city life (no heavy industry) people already seem adapted that they have trouble sleeping in our country side where it is relatively dark and quiet.

[kubafu]

I think you are right, it probably wasn't. Since people are good at adapting then "new normal" for them is the noisy world.

On the other hand, a place I currently live in, almost no one keeps horses, cows, chickens etc, anymore, which are audible. Only a handful of dogs which love to bark. When every household was a private farm it had to be much louder around here! It's not as simple as I thought.