Minster Pool
Encyclopedia
Minster Pool is a reservoir located between Bird Street and Dam Street in the heart of the city of Lichfield
, Staffordshire
in the United Kingdom
. The pool lies directly south of Lichfield Cathedral
and historically has been important to the defence of the Cathedral Close. The pool was originally formed in the 11th century when a boggy stream was dammed at its eastern end to drive a mill on Dam Street. The pool was used as a mill pond
and fishery
until 1856 when the mill was demolished; it has since been retained for public amenity.
and flows east through Beacon Park
where it combines with Trunkfield Brook into a conduit under the Museum Gardens. The streams are then carried under Bird Street into Minster Pool. The pool outflows into a pipe under Dam Street, Stowe Fields and into Stowe Pool
. The pool has a capacity of 28,000m3 and a surface area of 8,700m2.
, causeways were built on Bird Street and Dam Street to connect the Cathedral close to the town. However, after dredging works in the 19th century engineers discovered strata of red and white sandstone
, which may indicate that the pool formed in the cavity created from quarrying of the sandstone to build the Norman Cathedral
in around 1085. According to the Domesday Book
, the Bishop
had two mills in 1086, one of these is likely to have been on Dam Street and would have involved construction of the dam which would have formed Minster Pool.
In 1310 Bishop Langton built a causeway on Bird Street splitting a much larger pool into two, these became known as Bishops Fish Pool on the west and Minster Pool on the east. At this time Langton paved the streets and improved the fortifications to the Close with high stone walls and towers built on the north bank of the pool. Langton is thought to have improved and enlarged the dam at the east end of the pool at this time. The south entrance to the Close was located at the east end of Minster Pool on Dam Street and consisted of a portcullis
and drawbridge
.The pool proved to be a significant defence during the siege of the Cathedral during the Civil War
of 1643-46.
The mill on Dam Street was known as Castle mill in the 14th and 15th centuries. In early 14th the mill ground malt
only, in 1670 it consisted of a corn mill and a malt mill. It was described as a corn mill in 1696 and in 1716 it had been converted into an oil mill. By 1731 it was a wheat, rye
and malt mill and remained in use as corn mill until 1856 when it was demolished by South Staffordshire Waterworks Co.
The slow flowing nature of the streams caused a lot of siltation
in the pool, this combined with it being used as a sewer for the Close caused it to become dirty. In 1772 the pool was cleaned and landscaped by the Corporation. Poetess Anna Seward
was instrumental in landscaping the pool into a serpentine shape
and developing a ‘New Walk’ along its southern bank. By the mid 19th century it had become dirty again and five feet of mud was dredged in 1855. During these works cannonballs and shells from the Civil War were found in the mud.
In 1816-17 Bishop Langtons 14th century bridge on Bird Street was replaced with the current bridge. The 14th century bridge was very narrow and could not take coaches across it, causing them to be diverted around Stowe Pool and back onto Beacon Street.The new bridge designed by Joseph Potter
, was built of ashlar stone and comprises 3 elliptical arches, a low parapet and iron railings with two pylons surmounted by lamp irons. Parts of Bishop Langtons original Causeway were left below the new bridge. This new bridge could now carry the main road from London to Chester. Causeway bridge is now a Grade II Listed building.
In 1857 the South Staffordshire Waterworks Co.
proposed to fill in the pool and replace it with a public gardens. This was proposed, as it was undesirable to have an open area of water in the middle of a city, which would be used for domestic supply. This proposal was very unpopular among the citizens and the proposal was amended to retain the pool. Instead a cast iron pipe supported by brick piers was laid along the bed of the pool extending under Dam Street and into Stowe Pool
. The pipe would carry water from Leamonsley and Trunkfield Brooks through the Museum Gardens in Beacon Park
, under Bird Street through Minster Pool and into Stowe Pool. When water was being conveyed in the opposite direction from Stowe Pool to Sandfields Pumping Station the outflow of the brooks would be turned into Minster Pool from where it would outflow into Stowe Pool.
South Staffordshire Waterworks Co. passed ownership of the pool back to Lichfield District Council
in 1968 when the water supply from Stowe Pool was no longer needed. The pool remains an important public amenity to the city and memorial gardens have been laid out on both sides of the pool. The Garden of Remembrance was laid out on the north bank in 1920 to commemorate World War I
and the small memorial gardens that lie alongside Minster Walk were opened in 1955 in memory of Lichfield citizens that lost their lives in World War II
.
In 2010, with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund
and Big Lottery Fund
the pool underwent restoration works. Works were completed in July 2011 and included dredging the pool, reinforcing the pool's bank with local red sandstone
, installing new railings, seats and benches, and creating a new Speakers' Corner
. New trees were also added to the ancient avenue of Limes
and up-lighters were installed at the base of the trees, creating a beautiful night time vista.
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The pool lies directly south of Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral is situated in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. It is the only medieval English cathedral with three spires. The Diocese of Lichfield covers all of Staffordshire, much of Shropshire and part of the Black Country and West Midlands...
and historically has been important to the defence of the Cathedral Close. The pool was originally formed in the 11th century when a boggy stream was dammed at its eastern end to drive a mill on Dam Street. The pool was used as a mill pond
Mill pond
A mill pond is any body of water used as a reservoir for a water-powered mill. Mill ponds were often created through the construction of a mill dam across a waterway. In many places, the common proper name Mill Pond name has remained even though the mill has long since gone...
and fishery
Fishery
Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
until 1856 when the mill was demolished; it has since been retained for public amenity.
Hydrology
Lichfield is built on two sides of a shallow valley into which flow Leamonsley Brook and Trunkfield Brook from the west. Leamonsley Brook originates from a spring in Maple HayesMaple Hayes
Maple Hayes is late 18th century manor house, now occupied by a special needs school, near Lichfield, Staffordshire. It is a Grade II listed building....
and flows east through Beacon Park
Beacon Park
Beacon Park is a public park in the centre of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire, in the United Kingdom. The park was originally laid out in 1859 in the form of the Museum Gardens adjacent to the newly built Free Museum and Library and has been extended over the years to its current size of...
where it combines with Trunkfield Brook into a conduit under the Museum Gardens. The streams are then carried under Bird Street into Minster Pool. The pool outflows into a pipe under Dam Street, Stowe Fields and into Stowe Pool
Stowe Pool
Stowe Pool is a reservoir located in the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire.The reservoir was built in 1856 by the South Staffordshire Waterworks Co. in order to supply clean water to the Black Country. Before 1856, Stowe Pool existed as a mill pond, with Stowe mill located just to the west of St...
. The pool has a capacity of 28,000m3 and a surface area of 8,700m2.
History
It was originally thought that Minster Pool was created in 1310when, under the orders of Bishop LangtonWalter Langton
Walter Langton was a bishop of Coventry and Lichfield and treasurer of England.He was probably a native of Langton West in Leicestershire....
, causeways were built on Bird Street and Dam Street to connect the Cathedral close to the town. However, after dredging works in the 19th century engineers discovered strata of red and white sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, which may indicate that the pool formed in the cavity created from quarrying of the sandstone to build the Norman Cathedral
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
in around 1085. According to the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, the Bishop
Bishop of Lichfield
The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 4,516 km² of the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed...
had two mills in 1086, one of these is likely to have been on Dam Street and would have involved construction of the dam which would have formed Minster Pool.
In 1310 Bishop Langton built a causeway on Bird Street splitting a much larger pool into two, these became known as Bishops Fish Pool on the west and Minster Pool on the east. At this time Langton paved the streets and improved the fortifications to the Close with high stone walls and towers built on the north bank of the pool. Langton is thought to have improved and enlarged the dam at the east end of the pool at this time. The south entrance to the Close was located at the east end of Minster Pool on Dam Street and consisted of a portcullis
Portcullis
A portcullis is a latticed grille made of wood, metal, fibreglass or a combination of the three. Portcullises fortified the entrances to many medieval castles, acting as a last line of defence during time of attack or siege...
and drawbridge
Drawbridge
A drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
.The pool proved to be a significant defence during the siege of the Cathedral during the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
of 1643-46.
The mill on Dam Street was known as Castle mill in the 14th and 15th centuries. In early 14th the mill ground malt
Malt
Malt is germinated cereal grains that have been dried in a process known as "malting". The grains are made to germinate by soaking in water, and are then halted from germinating further by drying with hot air...
only, in 1670 it consisted of a corn mill and a malt mill. It was described as a corn mill in 1696 and in 1716 it had been converted into an oil mill. By 1731 it was a wheat, rye
Rye
Rye is a grass grown extensively as a grain and as a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe and is closely related to barley and wheat. Rye grain is used for flour, rye bread, rye beer, some whiskeys, some vodkas, and animal fodder...
and malt mill and remained in use as corn mill until 1856 when it was demolished by South Staffordshire Waterworks Co.
South Staffordshire Water
South Staffordshire Water PLC known as South Staffs Water, is a privately owned water company supplying water to parts of Staffordshire and the West Midlands, England....
The slow flowing nature of the streams caused a lot of siltation
Siltation
Siltation is the pollution of water by fine particulate terrestrial clastic material, with a particle size dominated by silt or clay. It refers both to the increased concentration of suspended sediments, and to the increased accumulation of fine sediments on bottoms where they are undesirable...
in the pool, this combined with it being used as a sewer for the Close caused it to become dirty. In 1772 the pool was cleaned and landscaped by the Corporation. Poetess Anna Seward
Anna Seward
Anna Seward was an English Romantic poet, often called the Swan of Lichfield.-Life:Seward was the elder daughter of Thomas Seward , prebendary of Lichfield and Salisbury, and author...
was instrumental in landscaping the pool into a serpentine shape
Serpentine shape
Serpentine refers to the curved shape of an object or design which resembles the letter s, a sine wave or a snake; the latter is the derivation of the term.- Examples :* The Serpentine River...
and developing a ‘New Walk’ along its southern bank. By the mid 19th century it had become dirty again and five feet of mud was dredged in 1855. During these works cannonballs and shells from the Civil War were found in the mud.
In 1816-17 Bishop Langtons 14th century bridge on Bird Street was replaced with the current bridge. The 14th century bridge was very narrow and could not take coaches across it, causing them to be diverted around Stowe Pool and back onto Beacon Street.The new bridge designed by Joseph Potter
Joseph Potter (architect)
Joseph Potter , was an English architect and builder from Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom. Potter has a considerable practice in Staffordshire and its neighbouring counties in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Potter lived in Pipehill south west of Lichfield and had...
, was built of ashlar stone and comprises 3 elliptical arches, a low parapet and iron railings with two pylons surmounted by lamp irons. Parts of Bishop Langtons original Causeway were left below the new bridge. This new bridge could now carry the main road from London to Chester. Causeway bridge is now a Grade II Listed building.
In 1857 the South Staffordshire Waterworks Co.
South Staffordshire Water
South Staffordshire Water PLC known as South Staffs Water, is a privately owned water company supplying water to parts of Staffordshire and the West Midlands, England....
proposed to fill in the pool and replace it with a public gardens. This was proposed, as it was undesirable to have an open area of water in the middle of a city, which would be used for domestic supply. This proposal was very unpopular among the citizens and the proposal was amended to retain the pool. Instead a cast iron pipe supported by brick piers was laid along the bed of the pool extending under Dam Street and into Stowe Pool
Stowe Pool
Stowe Pool is a reservoir located in the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire.The reservoir was built in 1856 by the South Staffordshire Waterworks Co. in order to supply clean water to the Black Country. Before 1856, Stowe Pool existed as a mill pond, with Stowe mill located just to the west of St...
. The pipe would carry water from Leamonsley and Trunkfield Brooks through the Museum Gardens in Beacon Park
Beacon Park
Beacon Park is a public park in the centre of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire, in the United Kingdom. The park was originally laid out in 1859 in the form of the Museum Gardens adjacent to the newly built Free Museum and Library and has been extended over the years to its current size of...
, under Bird Street through Minster Pool and into Stowe Pool. When water was being conveyed in the opposite direction from Stowe Pool to Sandfields Pumping Station the outflow of the brooks would be turned into Minster Pool from where it would outflow into Stowe Pool.
South Staffordshire Waterworks Co. passed ownership of the pool back to Lichfield District Council
Lichfield District Council
Lichfield District Council is a non metropolitan district council, which covers the district of Lichfield in Staffordshire, England. It was formed in 1974 from Lichfield City Council and Lichfield Rural District Council...
in 1968 when the water supply from Stowe Pool was no longer needed. The pool remains an important public amenity to the city and memorial gardens have been laid out on both sides of the pool. The Garden of Remembrance was laid out on the north bank in 1920 to commemorate World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and the small memorial gardens that lie alongside Minster Walk were opened in 1955 in memory of Lichfield citizens that lost their lives in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In 2010, with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
and Big Lottery Fund
Big Lottery Fund
The Big Lottery Fund is a grant-making non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom created by the Government to administer the funding of "good causes" following the creation of the National Lottery. It has an annual expenditure of £630 million...
the pool underwent restoration works. Works were completed in July 2011 and included dredging the pool, reinforcing the pool's bank with local red sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, installing new railings, seats and benches, and creating a new Speakers' Corner
Speakers' Corner
A Speakers' Corner is an area where open-air public speaking, debate and discussion are allowed. The original and most noted is in the north-east corner of Hyde Park in London, United Kingdom. Speakers there may speak on any subject, as long as the police consider their speeches lawful, although...
. New trees were also added to the ancient avenue of Limes
Tilia
Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The greatest species diversity is found in Asia, and the genus also occurs in Europe and eastern North America, but not western North America...
and up-lighters were installed at the base of the trees, creating a beautiful night time vista.
Lists
- List of reservoirs in Staffordshire
- List of reservoirs and dams in the United Kingdom
- List of lakes of England