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| HER Number | MWB16064 |
|---|
| Record Type | Monument |
|---|
| Name | Pump at junction of Bath Road and Chapel Street, Thatcham |
|---|
Summary
Locally listed late 19th century cast iron water pump near milestone in centre of Thatcham
Monument Type(s):
- WAYSIDE PUMP (Mid to Late 19th century to Late 19th century - 1870 AD? to 1900 AD)
Full Description
A pump is marked 'P' on the Second Epoch Ordnance Survey mapping <1> at c SU51776745 on the north side of Chapel Street opposite its junction with Broad Street (the Broadway). The road layout was altered in the later 20th century when the High Street was bypassed, and it is likely that the pump was moved at this time to a location in front of the barn on Chapel Street.
The pump was temporarily removed at the beginning of the 21st century during development at the barn, but returned to the roadside adjacent to a listed milestone.
The pump was supplied to the Thatcham Guardians from Hedges Foundry in Bucklebury in the 1870s <3>. It therefore seems to have had a different origin from the chain of water pumps put along the Bath Road at the end of the 18th century for watering the roads to keep the dust down <4>. It is more ornate, with ribbed sides and capped with a pointed finial.
The building was locally listed in 2017 <5> and more information was collected on its origins and design. It was likely to have been a town pump for public use. It bears the stamp of Edwards and Godding Ltd, Newbury; the connection with Hedges Foundry suggested by the Berkshire Industrial Archaeology Group is unclear.
Sources and further reading
| <01> | Landmark. 1899-1900. Digital Ordnance Survey Mapping Epoch 2, 1:2500 (25 inch). Digital. 1:2500. [Map / SWB14455] |
| <02> | Berkshire Archaeological Society. 1970. Berkshire Archaeological Journal 1970 65. 65. In ADS Journals. 10.5284/1000017. p49-51 A Berkshire Foundry by Kenneth J Major. [Article in serial / SWB10046]
http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/berks_bas_2007/journal.cfm?volume=65 (Accessed 11/11/2015) |
| <03> | Berkshire Industrial Archaeology Group. 1966-1991. Berkshire Industrial Archaeology Group Gazetteer of Industrial Sites & Monuments. 2023 WBC Network. OG201. [Unpublished document / SWB12762] |
| <04> | Phillips, D. 1983. The Great Road to Bath. p61-4. [Monograph / SWB147800] |
| <05> | West Berkshire Council. 2015-. West Berkshire District Council in partnership with the West Berkshire Heritage Forum - Local List of Heritage Assets. pdf online. 16/00011/LOCAL. [Unpublished document / SWB148860]
https://info.westberks.gov.uk/locallist (Accessed on 01/06/2022) |
Related Monuments
| MWB4122 | Site of Bucklebury Foundry (Monument) |
Associated Excavations and Fieldwork
| EWB273 | WBHS Monitoring 2002-2003 |
| EWB176 | Berkshire Industrial Archaeology Group Survey |
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