St Leonard's Church - Shoreditch High Street, London, UK - Hand Operated Water Pumps on Waymarking.com

Long Description:

This pump is made from cast iron and is in poor condition with the handle missing and the spout broken. Some elements of its former glory remain. On the church side of the pump the pivot point can be seen where the handle used to be attached. Above this point there is some artistic design work on the eigt sides that make the panels look like tall, arched church windows. Beneath the handle pivot point and again on all eight sides there appears to be some shields. These are heavily over-painted and difficult to decipher.

Due to the condition that this pump was in I doubted that there would be any material, on-line, that mentioned it. I was wrong and found a very interesting article in the Spitalfields Life website/Blog (visit link) that tells us:

"Hardly anyone notices this venerable pump of 1832 in Shoreditch churchyard, yet this disregarded artifact may conceal the reason why everything that surrounds it is there. Reverend Turp of St Leonard’s explained to me that the very name of Shoreditch derives from the buried spring beneath this pump, “suer” being the Anglo-Saxon word for stream.

The Romans made their camp at this spot because of the secure water source and laid out four roads which allowed them to control the entire territory from there – one road led West to Bath, one North to York, one East to Colchester and one South to Chichester. In fact, this water source undermined the foundations of the medieval church and caused it to collapse, leading to the construction of the current building by George Dance but, even then, there were still problems with flooding and the land was built up to counteract this, burying the first seven steps out of ten at the front of the church. Later, human remains from the churchyard seeped into this supply (as in some other gruesome examples) and it was switched over to mains water. Today, the sad old pump in Shoreditch has lost its handle, had its nozzle broken and even its basin is filled with concrete, yet a lone primrose flowers – emblematic of the mystic quality that some associate with these wellsprings, as sources of life itself.

Before the introduction of the mains supply in London, the pumps were a defining element of the city, public water sources that permitted settlement and provided a social focus in each parish. Now, where they remain, they are redundant relics unused for generations, either tolerated for their picturesque qualities or ignored by those heedless of their existence. When I began to research this subject, I found that no attention had been paid to these valiant survivors of another age. So I set out West to seek those other pumps that had caught my attention in my walks around the city and make a gallery for you of the last ones standing."

Note: Parking can be difficult in this area so it is suggested that public transport is used to visit the pump.

Is it Working: no Nearest Address: St Leonard's Church Shoreditch High Street London, United Kingdom How to find.: Locate the gated entrance to the church in Shoreditch High Street. Facing the church, but outside the grounds, turn left and head north for about fifty metres. There is a gate into the churchyard. Enter the gate and then walk back towards the church. The pump is near the railings between the church and churchyard. Visiting Restrictions: The pump can be seen from outside the churchyard but it looks as though it may be accessible as all times though it should be avoided at night as the area seems to be used by those down on their luck. Does this pump have a presence on the internet?: [Web Link] Good place to park: Not Listed

Visit Instructions:
A quality photograph of the old hand operated pump showing another feature with or without someone or GPSr in view. Describe your route to the pump, perhaps.

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