The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1877-08-23
London Water Pipes.

being conveyed to the city of London
by means Of pipes is in the year 1896.
Before this time, according to Maitland,
the city and places adjacent were sup
piled by the "river of wells" In the
west part; whose decay was owing
to certain mills erected on the banks
thereof by the Knights of st. John,
which obstructed its navigation, and by
degrees gave 1t the name Of Turnmill
Brook, a name which is still preserved
in Turnmill Street, through part of
which this water took its course towards
the bottom of HOlbOrn Hill, and thence
into the Thames between the Fleet and
st. Brides. In process Of time, Turn
mill Brook was lost in the name of
Fleet Ditch, or Fleet Dyke.
The other waters were Olborn or IIol-
born, Wall Brook, and LangbOurn.
Besides the bourns or brooks were sever
al springs which supplied the city, as
Holywell, fine spring famed for its
miraculous virtues in superstitious
times Clerk or Clerkenwell, SINNERS
Well, Fogg's Well, Tod's Well, Loder's
Well, Crowder's Well and Rad-Well,
and the Horsepool or HorsepOnd in
Smithfeld. These several springs, or
most of them united their streams, and
formed the "river of wells" before
mentioned.
In the year 1886, i'm consequence of a
great want Of water prevailing in Lon
don, occasioned principally by the
encroachment of buildings and the
Mills of the knights of ST. John, before
referred to, on the fresh water canals
about the out skirts of the city, many
opulent citizens contributed liberally
to the Inauguration of a scheme for
bringing water by means of main pipes
from six fountains in the neighbOring
town of Tyburn, and this product was
eventually carried into execution.
Hugh Myddelton, worthy and en-
terprising citizen, carrying on the bust
ness of a goldsmith, who, after several
others had attempted it without success,
put into execution the design Of supply
ing London with water for domestic
use, by means ofa river cut through the
country from Chadwell and Amwell,
near Ware, in Hartfordshire, to basin
or reservoir near IslingtOn, on the
north side of London. This work was
begun on February 20, l6OS, "and
with great difficulty, art, and industry,
and a prodigious expense with the
assistance of King James l., was com
pleted, and the water let into it, on
Michaelmas, 1913. The source Of the
New River is twenty miles from Lon
don, but the measurement of the Origi-
nal stream, followed throughout its
devious windings, necessary topreserve
its level, and to some extent, also, owing
to the stubborn opposition of certain of
the landed prOprietOrs, was As miles 3
quarters and lG poles. Its length has
been reduced at different times, toabOut
% miles, by cutting off the loops. On
the completion of the work, Mr.. Myd-
dletOn was knighted, and afterwards
created a baronet. The stupendous
undertaking eventually produced i'm
mense profits to the fortunate prOprie-
tors of its shares, but the original pro-
ectOr was all but ruined by the eX-
penses he incurred in bringing it to a
conclusion.
The successful completion of the New
River marked an era in the history of
the science of engineering III England; /;
and the abundant supply of one of the
chief neccessaries of life, which it
afforded to the population of the metro
polls, led to the development of the
method of conveying water my means
of pipes to the doors and into the dwell
ings of the inhabitants.
The main pipes used at that early day
were sheet lead, turned on mandrel,
and soldered at the edges, and the
trunks of elm trees, bored with augers,
and left in their natural undressed con-
dtion outside. Other water companies
were established in the course of time,
till at the present day there are eight of
these supplying London from various
sources.
Gas began to be supplied through
pipes in 1907.