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| With the assistance of the brochure produced by the people of the village of Great Budworth, at the time of the Restoration of their Running Pump. |
| 'The Dene has always been the source of water in Budworth. The stream running through Dene Wood was the source of power that drove the water mill that was at the head of the Dene in the Middle Ages. This stream gouged out a valley as it found its way to Budworth Mere. It is now culverted below the road and the footpath. Originally the stream was the water source for the village, and then the springs that flowed into the the stream were used. There had been a pump at the bottom of the hill coming into the village in the 18th if not the 17th century. The tithe map of 1841 shows a pump at the position of the existing pumphouse.' Landowner and village benefactor Rowland Egerton-Warburton employed one of the best architects of the time, Edmund Kirby of Liverpool, to design 'the magnificent structure, which is an icon to (the) village.' (Opened May 1st 1869.) |
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| From the Guardian newspaper, Saturday, May the 8th, 1869 Dedication of a Well at Great Budworth |
| The benediction, or as we might be permitted to designate it, the dedication of the well at Great Budworth, was celebrated on May Day, by R.E.E. Warburton, Esq., the owner of Arley Hall and Budworth estates, whose name will be recognised as that promoter of the May Day festivities of the former place - for many years the most popular rural gathering in this district - but which has been discontinued about two years. The day was lovely and fine; just such a one, in fact, to meet the requirements of blithe May Day - sunshine and flowers - and to excite feelings of gladness and delight. The proceedings commenced with the children of the village National School, numbering about 160, meeting in their schoolroom in proximity to the Parish Church. The clergy and choirs of Arley and Budworth attired in surplices, met in the meantime in the old schoolroom opposite, from whence they proceeded to the church, where they were joined by the school children, and a large number of gentry and visitors from the neighbourhood. A special service in celebration of the occasion had been arranged by the Rev. F. Terry, incumbent at Arley, and Mr. Warburton. Owing to the restoration going on in the interior of the church, the chancel is at present the only portion of the chirch available for divine worship, and this portion of the sacred edifice was well filled. The Rev. F. Terry intoned the service and the Rev. O.de Leyland Baldwin curate of Budworth, read the lessons. The Rev. E.G. Thomas, of Tabley, and the Rev. J.W.N. Tanner, vicar of Antrobus, also officiated within the communion rail. The choir numbered about two dozen voices, and was arranged in the centre of the chancel. Hymn 127 (from 'Ancient and Modern',) commenced the musical part of the service, and Psalms 23 and 29 were chanted antiphonally to Purcell in G. and Dr. S Arnold. The Te deum to Dr. Rinbault's single chant in g. closed the service. Mr Nicholls, organist of Arley chapel, presided at the organ, and played a voluntary, and accompanied the service throughout, Mr Dodds, the choirmaster, conducting. The school children were the first to leave the church, and having formed a procession outside, they were joined by the choristers and clergy, Mr. and Mrs. Warburton and a large party of friends bringing up the rear. In this order they proceeded to the well, a procession hymn being sung 'Come let us praise the name of God'. A large concourse of |
| The well is situated at the foot of Dane (sic) Hill, on the high road leading from Northwich to Warrington - the old coach road to London - and is intersected by another at right angles, running from Barnton to Arley. Simultaneously with the construction of the well, Mr. Warburton caused other improvements to be made in the appearance to the road at this point. Formerly on the opposite side, were some dilapidated cottages; these have been razed to the ground, and two other, of more modern and pleasing style of architecture erected a little higher up. We observed that the stucco was ornamented with the national emblems - the rose, thistle, and shamrock - and beneath the base of the three upper windows was the following triplet:- |
| Take thy calling thankfullie, Love thy neighbour neighborlie, Shun the path of Beggarie. |
| A short distance further up lying off the high road between the well and Belmont, a commodious house is in the course of erection for Mr. Donald, the respected agent of Mr. Warburton, who, when the building is completed, will be more accessible to the Budworth tenantry. Just at this place our attention was directed to a neatly trimmed hedge, skirting the highway, from which grows a hawthorn bush which has been so cut and trimmed as to take the form of an easy chair. Whether in this case comfort and ease are combined it is difficult to say, but its appearance was extremely unique and pleasing, studded over as it was with countless May-buds ready to burst into bloom. Retracing our steps to the well, which, by the way, we ought to have said was gaily bedecked with flowers, and two flags bearing the Warburton arms; the school children whom we had left singing a roundelay, were reformed in procession, and proceeded to the large club room by Mrs. Drinkwater, at the expense of Mr. Warburton. A party of 40 ladies and gentlemen also sat down, and at the conclusion of tea, Mr. Warburton gave a short address to the children, in which he told them that the 'running pump' they had that day seen spoke as follows;- "I make no men tinsy; I never strike my wife; I never cause my children to be starved; I don't cost the county one half penny, nor cause any one to go to the lunatic asylum." Mr. Warburton added that though not a total abstainer, temperance was his motto, and he hoped the children would bear in mind what he had said, and write it down in their copy-books by the next time he paid them a visit. Three cheers were then given for Mr. and Mrs. Warburton, three for the guests and three for Mrs. Drinkwater, her charming daughters, and the waiters from Arley Hall, who had assisted them. The room was nicely decorated, and at the rear of the principle table was placed the Warburton crest and motto. 'Je voil droyt avoyri', and surmounting it, 'God assisting us, nothing is to be feared'. The company present included - Mr.and Mrs. Warburton, Major Townshend, the Misses Townshend, Rev. G. Eaton and Mrs. Eaton, Mr. Piers Warburton, Mr. and Mrs. Usher, Mr. Joseph Legh, Belmont Hall; Mrs. Lascalles and Misses Lascelles, Mr. and Mrs. Clark, Cogshall Hall; Mr Stelfox, senr., and Mr. Stelfox, junj., Mr. Donald &c., &c., After tea, the children adjourned to the fair ground on the opposite of the road, where they participated in various rustic games and amusements during the remainder of the evening; shooting galleries and other games of skill, as well of chance, being extensively patronised by many of larger growth. The bells of the Parish Church chimed merrily during the afternoon, the ringing of them having been discontinued since the restoration was recommenced. The chancel, we were informed, was restored some time ago, and was lowered 21 inches, it having been found that the bases of the columns forming the side aisles were covered with soil to that depth. The work of restoring the nave and aisles was commenced last October (1868.) In course of removing the soil to the same level as the chancel, it was discovered that one of the pillars showed indications of weakness, and in order to guard against accident through the reverberation and jarring caused by the ringing of the bells, it was deemed advisable to merely chime or toll them. A visit to the belfry discloses a full and very fine peal of eight bells, the larger or tenor bearing the following distich;- |
| I to the living call, And to the dead summon all. |
| We believe the restoration is estimated to cost about £2,000, towards which sum Mr. Warburton has contributed £500, the remainder being subscribed by the local gentry. The work is intended to be completed by next August, and the re-opening of the church will be celebrated by the holding of a choral festival. |
| An inscription written by Rowland Egerton-Warburton, and still to be read on the pumphouse wall reads:- |
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| 'Blessings in a never ending love Are on us poured from Heaven above This running stream with ceaseless flow Springs from the bounteous earth below Alike in both his goodness shown Whom heaven and earth their maker own'. |
| Since the pump-house was built in 1869, spring water has flowed through the Running Pump. From 1869 to 1890 it was the only source of water for houses in the village; then, in 1890, five pumps were installed in the village and these were the main source of water until mains water was piped into the village in 1936. In 1948 the ownership of the pumphouse was passed from Arley Estates to Great Budworth Parish Council. The late Alec Hayes insisted on water from the Running Pump as a supplement to his whisky; it is also used for making homemade wine and beer by the amateur brewers who do not want the chlorine and the fluorine, which is added to tap water, and which retards the fermentation process. The Running Pump is also a useful standby when the mains water fails! |
| Collecting water when the mains failed. |
| Vale Royal have recently tested the water and say that at the time of the test, the water was as good as, if not better, than tap water. However they add the rider that the quality could change if the quality of the incoming water is affected by external influences. The original gate was stolen in 1984, (more recently, some of the York Stone slabs which uphold the banks of the hill leading up to the village have also been stolen.) The replacement gate, made by a blacksmith at Arley, incorporates 'Great Budworth' in the design. |
| 'Unfortunately, in 1999 the water flow stopped completely.' At first the reason was unknown, but after much investigation by voluntary working parties instigated by Bill Anderson, the water source was established as a brick chamber in Dene Wood, (within the land belonging to The Dene) which captured spring water from the surrounding area. A cast iron pipe was found coming from this brick chamber, which came under the road and down to the back of the pump house. Nodules which form in cast-iron pipes had eventually formed a complete blockage and the only way to restore the flow was to replace the cast-iron pipe with one of Alkathene, which would cost, because of its 200 metre length, some £14,000. An appeal was launched, and received a generous response. However grants were also sought and eventually the Parish Council were able to obtain one from WREN (Waste Reclamation Environmental,) with the contract for work being awarded to Bowker Holt. The whole operation was finalised with the rededication of the Running Pumphouse on May the 25th, 2003. Rededication by the vicar, Rev. Alec Brown; reopening by Lord Michael Ashbrooke, (gr.gr.grandson of R.E.Egerton-Warburton.) Champagne was afterwards partaken.. (Photographs on the day courtesy of S.Wallworth & friends.) |
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| spectators (were) assembled in the vicinity of the well, a space being reserved for the schoolchildren, clergy and choir. Arrived at the well, the 'Allelulia Hymn' was sung with fine effect, and at the moment the line was reached 'Ye wells upspringing from below,' the plug was withdrawn from the supply pipe, and the water flowed freely into the receptacle prepared for it. The ceremony at the well was concluded with the offering up of a short prayer and pronouncing the benediction. The school children under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Dodds, then struck up a simple song, entitled 'The Wayside Well', followed by a round for three voices 'The merry month begins today'. The well, which had up to this time been jealously guarded from chance intrusion, was then formally declared opened by Mr. Warburton, who invited all who wished, to partake of the water. Mrs. Warburton was the first to accept the invititation, and her example was largely followed by the friends and visitors present. |
| A very neat and permanent structure of open and polished oak beams, thickly slated roof with projecting eaves, has been placed over the well, which occupies the site of the time honoured running pump, the only supply of water available to the village of Budworth. We hardly dare venture to guess the number of gallons of water the spring is capable of yielding, but its perennial character may be inferred from the fact that |
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| throughout the drought of last summer, whilst other streams in the neighbourhood were dried up, this alone continued to give forth a daily and undiminished supply. The water is conducted from the well by means of a pipe into the receiver or reservoir, capable of holding some thirty or forty gallons, and a goblet or drinking cup secured with a chain furnishes the means by which any thirsty traveller can refresh himself with a cup of sparkling and pure water. |
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