William Woodley wrote about Beedon’s drinking water, or more specifically its wells. Wells played a critical role suppling the village with water, and the importance of easy access to water became evident during periods of drought.
Mr Woodley explains:
The month of September is fast drawing to a close, but up to time of writing (26th) we have had no September gales with accompanying storms of rain such as we generally get “on or about” (as the almanacks say) “the autumnal equinox”. I doubt, however, if at any time within the memory of living man the rain could ever have been more desired and required than at present. Indeed, so badly is the drought felt that we had prayers for rain in church on Sunday last. The fact that poor cottagers in the adjoining parish of Aldworth have to pay 4d. for a pail of water is also plain evidence of the scarcity, their deep well having run dry, as have also all the ponds and tanks about; so that they have to fetch a supply from the mill stream some distance away. In the village of Beedon the same state of things exists with regard to ponds and quite half of the wells; farmers have to fetch the water for their cattle some six or seven miles from the mill stream at Donnington. These are proofs of our necessities.
September 29th, 1898
How to get drinking water? – the need for wells in Beedon
The parish of Beedon doesn’t have a watercourse running through it. Nonetheless, there is some evidence that after long periods of rain, a stream appears at Stanmore which meanders towards Hampstead Norreys to join the river Pang. Yet, more often than not, this stream was absent from the village’s geography.
Beedon’s drinking water was accessed by digging wells deep into the ground access water from aquifers. The depth of the wells in Beedon were not trivial, and a survey carried out by the Locking Estate on 23 May 1934 revealed the following:
- the average depth of the ten wells surveyed was 54.08 metres (177′ 5”), with the deepest being 73.9 metres (242′ 6”) and the shallowest being 33.8 metres (111′ 0”);
- the averaged depth of water in those wells was 2.22 metres (7′ 3”), with the deepest being 4.2 metres (14′ 0”) and the shallowest being 15 centimetres (6”).
Survey’s of Beedon’s drinking water
Lockinge Estate took seriously their responsibilities regarding drinking water. Their surveys (both in 1898 and 1934) into Beedon’s wells highlighted the following problems:
- ‘Buckets [lost] at the bottom’ of the well;
- ‘Muddy water running in’ from the top of the well;
- ‘Water affected by insects.’
Wells falling into disrepair
It is important to consider that a well is not just a deep hole in the ground; crucially it requires lifting tackle (or a pump) to raise the water. Like all things mechanical, a well should receive regular maintenance to keep it in continuous working order. However, the case studies below suggest that no regular maintenance took place; prompt repairs were made once a serious problem became apparent.
Wells suffer from corrosion and/or rot because of the wet conditions. Also, their frequent use causes wear and tear – with the ropes, chains and buckets commonly failing. Sadly, villagers would experience hardship when their nearby well falls into disrepair.
Below, I provide case studies of two Beedon wells respectively; both were experiencing serious problems.
The rest of the article is on my substack, <click here> to read more.
Want To Know More?
I will be writing more about William Woodley in the future, and here are some of my other writings about the great man:-
Around William Woodley’s Apiary, Worlds End, Beedon
Christmases At Beedon As Described in Mr Woodley’s Journals
How I researched the Berkshire bee van