My interest in Parish Pumps started some years ago on a visit to Cobham. In that village there is a rather striking cast-iron pump with an associated inscription saying it was given to the parishioners by the Earl of Darnley to commemorate his coming of age. I thought it would be worthwhile to record this photographically, and then, why not record further parish pumps in Kent, although at that time I could only recall one other; the one on the village green at Brasted. This interest has of course expanded so that as well as in other counties, I have recorded 30 in Kent.
The droughts in recent summers have brought home to us how important it is to have an adequate supply of water. It is not easy to understand how people managed years ago when there was no piped supply. They relied on rivers, ponds, wells and whatever water they could catch for themselves from roofs etc. in butts and tanks. It is no wonder that they were reluctant to wash, let alone bathe themselves! Early pumps were made entirely of wood and needed great skill in boring the wood and so were difficult to repair. By the late 18th century lead was used, consisting of a pipe with a small lead cistern on top, often with the date, maker's name or initials, or some sort of decoration. The handle was iron supported by an enclosing wooden surround. Later came the cast-iron types or those enclosed in a stone structure or even sheet metal. Later on in the 19th century came the simple cast-iron ones consisting of little more than a pipe with lugs for the handle pivot.
Some of the cast-iron ones were very elaborate in design in the Classical or Victorian Gothic styles such as at Faversham, and Brasted. These were mainly designs used as one off but the Brasted design was used as well at Bromley and Tenterden and at Esher in Surrey.
The other main design is the crank-shaft type consisting of a cranked shaft between two supports and turned by a large wheel. A notable one of this type is at Winchelsea in East Sussex which has a double crank. More usual is the single crank type as at Ide Hill and nearby Goathurst Common.
These are both by the same maker with, cast on the supports, the name, W. S. Freeman, Engineer, Otford. As well as makers' names there are other inscriptions to be found on pumps and it is these that make them interesting from a local history point of view. Some may only have a date or just the initials of the Parish Council. Later are inscriptions commemorating local or national events. Also there are Biblical texts and others reflecting thankfulness to the Great Provider for the supply of water. A particularly apt inscription for the present day is on a pump at Westmill in Hertfordshire. It reads "Traverse the desert and then you can tell What treasure exists in the cool deep well." The following list of pumps recorded are parish pumps erected for the use of the local community including those that serve almshouses but not those for private use.
BECKENHAM. (Recorded 2.1.71). By the old Fire Station (now D. Stephens, Greengrocer) let into the left corner of the front wall a stone slab incised with a fleur-de-lis design on which is a cast iron front standing on a stone base. A lion's head spout and a small handle to the right. No inscription, possibly not a pump but a water supply from a tank.
BENENDEN. (Recorded 23. 7.77). By the cross roads B2086 and Sissinghurst Rd. Wood encased with a lead spout. Handle missing. In front, added later, a stone trough with a shield and the inscription 1837 /THE/QUEEN'S/WELL/1887, to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and possibly at the same time the pyramid tiled roof.
Pump at Brasted c.1864
BRASTED. (Recorded 23.3.69). Situated on the village green by the Riverhead to Westerham road. It is octagonal in three stages. The centre and top stages are panelled and decorated in the Gothic style and on top an ogee fluted cap. The whole is cast iron. There are other pumps from the same casting mould at Tenterden, Bromley and Esher in Surrey. No inscription on the Kent ones but at Esher it states, it was erected "from the donation ... by H.R.H. Compte de Paris on his marriage ... 30 May 1864." A C. Hart
PART II will be published in the next Newsletter.
