Public Water Supplies in North Somerset

Safe clean drinking water is currently supplied to the whole of North Somerset, Bristol, South Gloucestershire and parts of Somerset, Bath & North East Somerset and Gloucestershire by Bristol Water.

A group of prominent local citizens in Bristol formed a group in 1845, with the aim of supplying clean drinking water to the City of Bristol.  The city had suffered a cholera epidemic in 1832 and the disease was spread via contaminated water supplies.  The Bristol Waterworks Company was established on 16th July 1846 by an Act of Parliament.  The following year the first water flowed from Chewton Mendip via Barrow into Bristol.  Bristol was hit by another cholera epidemic in 1849.  The first of three reservoirs at Barrow was constructed in 1850.  Sand filters were later added to treat the water.

In 1888 parliamentary permission was given for Blagdon Reservoir, which captures water draining off the Mendips via the River Yeo.  Work on the construction of the dam began in 1898 and the reservoir was filled to its top level for the first time in 1903.  The associated pumping station was completed in 1905.

Pumping Station, Blagdon Reservoir

Blagdon Lake

In 1888 Bristol Water were also given permission to take water from the springs at Langford and Rickford.  In around 1895 they built a ornate gauge house in the style of a Swiss chalet at Rickford to regulate the flow of water into the village brook and into an underground pipe, which flows into Blagdon Lake.

Gauge House at Rickford

Springs at Cheddar were first tapped in 1922 and Cheddar Reservoir was built there in the 1930s.  Chlorination of the water began in 1935.  However until the 1940s or later many villages still relied on wells and springs for their water supply and communal pumps were a common sight.  Although no longer in use, a few of these have been preserved.

The construction of Chew Valley Lake was delayed by the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939.  Work on it eventually began in 1950 and it was formally opened by the Queen in 1956.  

Bristol Water helped with the construction of the Clywedog Reservoir in Mid Wales in 1967.  This reservoir regulates the flow of the River Severn.  Over half the water supplied today by Bristol Water is extracted from the River Severn, via the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. Bristol Water’s treatment works at Purton and Littleton in Gloucestershire purify the water extracted from the River Severn.  Other sources of water currently used by Bristol Water in North Somerset include a well at Clevedon, a spring at Banwell and a borehole at Winscombe.

Parish Pumps, Coronation Road, Bleadon

In Bleadon there are two cast iron parish pumps outside Well Cottage in Coronation Road.  They were the main communal source of spring water for the villagers until mains water arrived in Bleadon in the 1940s.  The higher pump was used to fill containers on carts while the lower one was used by pedestrians.  

Old pump and trough at Wrington

Old pump or standpipe in Rickford

Village pump in Christon

Village pump in Chelwood

Pump cabinet, Compton Martin 

The Metropolitan Free Drinking Fountain Association was set up in London in 1859 by Samuel Gurney (an MP and philanthropist) and Edward Thomas Wakefield (a barrister) to provide people with free drinking water. In 1867 the organisation changed its name to the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association to also support animal welfare.

Old Cattle Trough at the junction of West Town Road and Chelvey Road, Backwell

Public drinking fountains were also sometimes provided by wealthy philanthropists or in memory of someone who had died.

Cattle trough with small drinking fountain on the left hand side, Marine Hill, Clevedon

Drinking fountain, Marine Hill, Clevedon

This cattle trough & drinking fountain on Marine Hill was erected in memory of Edward Long Davis, who died in 1899. There is a quotation from the Bible carved into the side above the drinking fountain, which says “Many waters cannot quench love” (Song of Solomon).  Users of the drinking fountain were instructed to “Keep the pavement dry”.

Shurton: village of many footbridges

The small village of Shurton near Stogursey has five interesting stone footbridges over Bayley's Brook, which runs through the village.  The bridges are close together.  The one leading to Ashforde House is definitely private.  I think the one next to Thatch End is too.  The other three are definitely public.  Two have single spans and one has a double span.

Single-span footbridge

Double-span footbridge

Another single-span footbridge

This private bridge leads to Ashforde House

I think this 18th century bridge next to a house called Thatch End is private.

Fabulous Fish

These are the artistic representations of fish that I have found on my travels around Somerset.

Kneeler in Exford Church

Fish bike racks at RSPB Ham Wall

Kneeler at St Andrew's Church, Old Cleeve

The apostle St Andrew and his brother, Simon Peter, were both fishermen.  

Altar front, St Andrew's Church, Old Cleeve

Stained glass window, St Andrew's Church, Old Cleeve

River Tone, Taunton

Stained glass window in Winsford Church

Chiselborough Bus Stop

St Andrew's Church, Mells

This window is in memory of Sir John Francis Fortescue Horner (1842-1927).  He was a barrister and he lived in Mells Manor.  The window was designed by Sir William Nicholson and depicts St Francis of Assisi preaching to the fish and birds.

Church of St Mary and St Andrew, Pitminster

"I will make you fishers of men" Matthew Ch.4 v.19

Seals & goldfish by Curtis Hylton, Oxford Corner, Weston-super-Mare

This was painted for Weston Wallz Project 2022.  I think the seals look more like sea lions.

Fish and a sheep on a bench end, Church of All Saints, Monksilver

Fisherman Metal Head, Minehead Harbour

Altar rail, St Peter's on the Quay, Minehead

Hedgehog and fish on the west doors of St Mary's Church, Norton-sub-Hamdon

Seats painted with fish, an octopus, a turtle, a jellyfish and a shark

High Street, Taunton

These concrete seats were painted by GoCreate and Rights Community Action in 2023 to raise awareness of climate change.

Seats painted with lots of fish, a jellyfish, a hermit crab, two sea anenomes and a starfish, High Street, Taunton

Bench end, Church of St James the Less, Halse

3 fish in the centre, 2 eels at the bottom and 2 newts at the top.

Bench end, Church of St James the Less, Halse

Tony Hills' (1956-2015) memorial bench, 

Wych Lodge Lake, Blackdown Hills

Fish sculpture, Wych Lodge Lake, Blackdown Hills

This sculpture is a memorial to Alan Roy Berry, who was President of Taunton Angling Association.

Alabaster fish decorating the font in St Mary's Church, Norton-sub-Hamdon

The font was designed by Henry Wilson in the late 19th century.

Coronation Commemorations

Many Somerset communities have celebrated coronations with one-off events, such as street parties and bonfires.  Some have chosen to commemorate the occasions with more permanent features, for example community halls, seats, fountains, promenades, stones, gardens and public parks.  There are also many roads named after various coronations.

Coronation Hall, Bleadon

Note the crowns on the flower barrels

Coronation Road, Worle

Coronation Close, Ruishton

Judging by the age of the houses in this road, I think this road must have been named to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

Coronation seat, Holford Bowling Green

Fountain in Westcombe to commemorate the Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary

Coronation Fountain, Somerton

This was built in 1902 to celebrate King Edward VII's coronation.  It was manufactured in Coalbrookdale for the Somerton ironmonger T.C. Head.  It provided water for people, horses and dogs and also incorporated a lamp.

Coronation Stone at the top of Brent Knoll

Coronation bonfires were held here in 1902 for the Coronation of Edward VII, in 1911 for the Coronation of George V, in 1937 for the Coronation of George VI and in 1953 for the Coronation of Elizabeth II.

Jubilee Stone, Backwell

This also commemorates the Coronations of King Edward VII and King George V & Queen Mary

Jubilee Stone, Backwell

This side of it also commemorates the Coronations of King George VI in 1937 and Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

Coronation Promenade, Knightstone Island, Weston-super-Mare

Plaque commemorating the re-opening of Coronation Promenade by Queen Elizabeth II on 20th July 2007

Wellington Park

Wellington Park was presented to the town by Fox Brothers & Co Ltd at the time of the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902

Wellington Park Plaque

Drinking fountain, Parrett Close, Langport

This was "Erected in commemoration of the the Coronation of His Majesty King Edward VII" August 9th 1902

Clock tower on the former school at Chilton Polden

The inscription under the clock says:

Time Flies

In Commemoration of the Coronation of

King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra

on August 9th 1902

This Clock Tower was erected by 

M.G.F. Luttrell

The school is now a private house.

Drinking fountain, The Borough, Montacute

This Hamstone drinking fountain for people and horses was built in Montacute by local stone masons in 1902 to celebrate the coronation of Edward VII.  It was designed by the architect A.R. Powys, whose father was Vicar of Montacute at this time.  Over the years the drinking fountain got damaged and in 1983 Montacute Parish Council commissioned a replica to be built.  It was built by the National Trust's stone mason and his assistant.  The capping stone is the original one.

Coronation Garden, Fivehead

This garden commemorates the Coronation of King Charles III on 6th May 2023.

King Charles III Coronation bench, Somerton