Water Supply in Thornbury
Pumps and Wells
Stafford Morse MA, the Secretary of the Society of Thornbury Folk, teacher and local historian, has written an account of Thornbury in 1851 which says that "the public water supply was derived from two pumps - the 'Upper Pump,' opposite the Beaufort Arms (now the Picture House) and the 'Lower Pump' on the Plain".
The story of the Pump on The Plain
(which Morse referred to as the Lower Pump) is outlined on another page
(click here to read more)
There was a pump in the High Street just below the Exchange (Knot of Rope) which seems to be the "Upper Pump". This appears in photographs of the High Street, one of which is here on the left. It was mentioned in a newspaper article of February 1945 when it was decided to remove the broken pump "but it was suggested that a manhole be placed there so that water might still be obtained in an emergency. It was pointed out that the water had long been condemned for drinking purposes."
Stafford Morse also notes that 1851 was a particularly dry year, especially in the autumn "so that in December there was a great scarcity of water and a large number of wells in the town ceased to function. The two public pumps 'yielded but a partial and scanty supply' and almost all the rainwater tanks were were exhausted. The farmers had to haul water long distances.'" Thornbury had to find more reliable water sources.
The inside cover of the Parish
Records of St Mary's Church in Thornbury shows that one attempt at providing
a solution to Thornbury's water problems
was to dig deeper wells. A 91 feet well
was dug in Bullseye Lane in November 1859 at the behest of
William Osborne Maclain
e. We
have been told that this well was contaminated when the market was opened up near
the site.
There were other pumps. One seems to have remained in place for some time because it can still just be seen here in the photograph on the right, opposite the front door of the house which was modernised by Francis Hopkins around 1954. For those unfamiliar with Thornbury at that time, the pump was sited at what is now the junction of Rock Street and Bath Road. This pump was marked on the 1880 map but it is not clear when it was put in place. The same map also shows a pump near the Union Workhouse, one at the School opposite the Church (which is now St Mary's School), one near the Chantry, one at Park House, one outside the bank on The Plain and one further down Castle St.
The wells on the 1880 map include that which is located at the Castle and three others along Gillingstool on the left hand side just outside the old Borough of Thornbury.
The 1903 map has some other interesting modernisations; for example another pump has appeared near Savery's forge in what is now Gloucester Road.
This page was last updated: 19/08/2008