January 2011

Who are the Friends? Friends promote research, conservation and celebration of the Springs, Spouts, Fountains and Holy Wells of the Malvern Hills and of Great Malvern as a Spa Town.

Coca Cola Enterprises and Friends of Malvern Springs and Wells join forces to save threatened Stone Bottle Fountain

With the Colwall Malvern Water bottling works closing last October and the possible future development of the site uncertain, we were very concerned about the Stone Bottle Fountain. It features a bottle of Malvern Water carved in natural stone. Those of you who have been on our celebrated springs and wells coach tours in recent years will know that it was located outside the former Schweppes bottling works offices at Colwall.  Any redeployment of the site could threaten the fountain with accidental damage or worse still, deliberate removal and destruction. So working in conjunction with Coca Cola Enterprises, the Friends of Malvern Springs & Wells hatched a plan to ensure that the fountain survives for posterity.

It was a freezing cold winter day, minus 2 degrees, at the beginning of December, when a specialist team arrived in snow clad Colwall. Following submission of risk assessment and methods statements, security clearance and ensuring the water was turned off; it took three men and a large crane several hours to carefully complete the exercise. As the crane began its initial lift the fountain refused to budge, much to everyone's surprise and consternation. Massive crowbars and huge metal wedges were required to loosen the concrete seal round the fountain's base. Cora and Bruce watched with trepidation as the massive stone artefact eventually swung into the air, raising a cheer from all involved.

We are pleased to report that the fountain was successfully removed and is now in storage at a secret location. The plan is either to return it to its original position if, in the future, the site is appropriate for such a unique artefact. Alternatively we hope to identify a suitable alternative site around the hills. In this way it will become a revered and lasting visible treasure of Malvern's spring water bottling history.  If you have a good idea as to where it might be relocated, do let us know. It needs to be somewhere that has public access, a water supply and can be cared for, for example a public park.

Our thanks to all involved for helping to complete the first half of the programme successfully.

Cora is on location again, this time outside Dr Gully's Holyrood House. This was one of the principle hydrotherapy locations in the 19^th century using Malvern spring waters for the cure. Here Cora is talking about the Malvern Water Cure and Florence Nightingale on Country Tracks, screened on BBC1 on the 31 October. Florence actually stayed at Holyrood House and her mother is reputed to have had the 'hots' for Dr Gully.  Quite rightly Florence reminded her mother that her father was still alive!

In the last newsletter a Friend queried why the Civic Society chose to put a Nightingale plaque on Malvernbury rather than the more notable and surviving Holyrood House. Another Friend, who is active with the Civic Society, replied stating that the Society is seeking to put plaques on many key buildings but has to carefully select the famous person. In the case of Malvernbury, Florence Nightingale is the only famous person that we know who stayed there, albeit the original house has now gone. Holyrood House had other famous people staying there and so the choice of who to commemorate is wider. The Civic Society decision ensures that the Malvernbury site has a plaque and that as wide a range of famous names as possible are encompassed in the scheme. I guess that all makes sense and so we look forward to the intended Blue Plaque Trail in and around the town. As Florence would perhaps have said 'Watch this spot' for more details, albeit a pale blue one!

We were recently sent this postcard of Priory Park and it was not long before we were up in town checking to see if it featured the George Bernard Shaw Mulberry Tree, before its demise in 2000. The answer is YES, the Mulberry Tree is the second tree on the left behind the one in the middle ground. The card must be about 1960 we guess. If you have read our past Newsletters or the web site you will be aware that we are nurturing 'grandchildren' cuttings from Malvern, Australia to replace the Shaw tree. This project is part of a long term community scheme funded by Coca Cola Enterprises through Malvern Bottled Water. Without their assistance the project would not have been practical. When the best cutting gets planted in Priory Park by the spring, in due course, it will not only now be a tribute to George Bernard Shaw who planted the original in 1936. It will also be a tribute to all who have devoted their energies to promoting the interests of Malvern Bottled Water over the last 160 years.

For more information go to www.malvernspringsandwells.com

Malvern Museum deluged in Malvern Water

This is probably your last chance to purchase a bottle of Malvern Water from the former factory at Colwall. We have arranged, in conjunction with Coca Cola Enterprises, for Malvern Museum to receive a substantial quantity of the last stocks of irreplaceable Malvern bottled water. In addition there are souvenir pens and carrier bags. After a recent meeting with Coca Cola, they generously loaded Cora's car with as much as she dare carry, all without charge, for the Museum. These are being sold to visitors and friends and all the income will go to Malvern Museum funds. Keep an eye out for the special Museum opening days this winter and any Museum events where the bottled elixir might be on sale. Ensure that you have a souvenir of the last production to pass on to your grandchildren, while stocks last. Drop Cora an email if you would like to reserve a few bottles before they all go. A big thank you goes to Coca Cola Enterprises for their generosity and our condolences to all who are caught up in the plant closure.

Picture above - Mementos of the past kept for posterity.

Misleading Slip-ups - THE BIG OOOOOOOOooooopps! - WHERE WE SPOT THE BANANA SKIN SLIP-UPS We often see misleading information, some is deliberate and some is unintentional. Even we drop the odd clanger. What ever the reason, good or bad, there is no real alternative to the truth, properly presented. With this award we seek to set the record straight about banana skins in a National Park.

In the last newsletter we considered a Malvern Springs and Hills National Park. A Friend commented as follows: 'In answer to your invitation to comment, I don't see why Malvern should not officially be named a National Park and would support it becoming one, unless there were any disadvantages that I haven't yet read about.

The last National Park that I visited was the Brecon Beacons on my walking holiday in September with a walking holiday company.  I noticed a woman throw a banana skin into the ditch by a stream on one walk and asked her if it is OK to do that, would it decompose and add to the land (if so, that's the kind of thing I would do).  She said it was OK.  On a walk later in the week, I therefore happily tossed my banana skin into the base of bush and suddenly saw the walk leader march over to me, looking annoyed.  'I'll pretend I didn't see that,' he glared at me in a teacher-like fashion, 'this is a National Park, you know, and you are not meant to do that!'  I humbly explained my reason for having thrown it down and promised not to do it again, as naturally if it took as many centuries as he suggested for the banana to break down, it would be an unwanted blight and eyesore on the landscape that I was causing...'

Historic Artefacts are there awaiting discovery

In 1992 we published our first modern day guide book on the history and topography of the Springs and Wells of the Malvern Hills. This followed both extensive original desk and field research. Since then the number of springs and wells sites identified has multiplied and we have published further updated books and guides. Other enthusiasts have also subsequently become actively involved in this interesting subject. Our forthcoming book 'Celebrated Springs of the Malvern Hills' will feature 130 sites. In spite of 20 years of research we still get surprised now and again. This time it is a completely lost spout identified from documents in September 2010 in the Poolbook area. To our amazement, a brick water feature still exists in a nearby garden, albeit seemingly dry. Further research is being conducted and details will be in Celebrated Springs. The book is now in its fourth draft stage and eagerly waited by enthusiasts, because of the large amount of previously unpublished material and startling revelations that it contains.

In the picture - while conducting field work at Poolbrook we noticed this cast iron artefact - marked MWW - Malvern Water Works. This dates it to the late 19^th century or thereabouts.

Urgent Request - we need an early Burrows Blue Soda Siphon to photograph. Do you know where there is such an historic artefact? If so please get in touch.

Progress with Dr Jacob's Fountain.

It was a year ago in Newsletter 29 that we raised the plight of Dr Jacob's Fountain at the Malvern Theatres. This was quickly followed up by a letter in the Gazette by retired G.P. Dr John Harcup and former Malvern Hills Conservators' Chairman Ray Roberts who had taken up the cause. Pleased that our appeal had alerted such revered members of the Malvern Spa Association we pledged our support and have endeavoured to keep abreast of developments. Having contacted them recently we are only able to report no apparent action, which is most disappointing.

Life without Water

This recent cold spell has alerted us all to the importance of reliable, frost free, water supplies. Recent weeks have been filled with stories of homes without water due to frozen stop cocks and pipes. We have experienced both in the last few days and although quickly resolved, it does highlight how much we rely on water at the turn of a tap. In our case we had to find an external tap on another house and having thawed it out, we then carted our domestic water back to the kitchen in buckets. This is fine for a cup of tea, but baths and central heating are out the question.

 

Living in a former water tower, it was with some surprise that Bruce discovered a well in his front garden in the year 2000. Investigation suggested that it was 180 feet deep or thereabouts based on other wells in the vicinity.  Why dig a well when you are also building a water tower? The answer is of course that you need the water to mix the mortar to build the tower. The tower then supplies the neighbourhood, having filled the tank with water pumped up from springs elsewhere. This in turn enables building development to proliferate once the piped water is available. The community grows and people live happily ever after. This chain reaction creates the situation that we inherit today, one of interdependency on infrastructure. When the system fails the infrastructure is worthless.

Water towers are now becoming redundant. Once they proliferated in the 19^th and early 20^th century landscape, but pump technology is making it unnecessary to maintain such lofty and expensive structures.  As a result they are now being redeployed. Colley Hill tower on the North Downs now provides the local water company with a source of income from aerial masts.  Others like Bruce's Tower House at Tadworth are becoming distinct residences for those who seek somewhere a little unconventional to reside. One of the problems is that a 140 foot water tower offers you probably 6 floors, each with a single room and then a vast tank as a roof. No good slipping out the front door to post a few newsletters and then remembering you have left your keys on the top floor!  There is even a British Water Towers Appreciation Society for those who wish to pursue an interest.

1) TOPOGRAPHICAL LOCATION:

3) INFORMATION CATEGORY: