Hobson's Conduit - Lensfield Road, Cambridge, UK
N 52° 11.873 E 000° 07.345
31U E 303345 N 5786950
Hobson's Conduit was a watercourse that brought fresh water to the city of Cambridge. Built in the early 17th century evidence remains of it today with a long section, running north/south, along Brookside from Lensfield Road to Bateman Street.
Waymark Code: WMQ5HB
Location: Eastern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 12/24/2015
Views: 2
Wikipedia has an article about Hobson's Conduit that tells us:
Hobson's Conduit is a watercourse that was built from 1610 to 1614 by Thomas Hobson and others to bring fresh water into the city of Cambridge, England from springs at Nine Wells, a Local Nature Reserve (52.166°N 0.1349°E), near the village of Great Shelford. It is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument and historical relic. What remains of the conduit flows beside Trumpington Street and past Brookside, where it is at its widest. At the corner of Lensfield Road stands an octagonal monument to Hobson, which once formed part of the market square fountain, and was moved to this location in 1856, after a fire in the Market. The flow of water runs under Lensfield Road, and subsequently runs along both sides of Trumpington Street in broad gutters towards Peterhouse and St Catharine's College, and also St Andrew's Street. The conduit currently ends at Silver Street.
The scheme was first devised in 1574 by Andrew Perne, Master of Peterhouse, who proposed that a stream be diverted from Nine Wells chalk springs through the town and the King's Ditch to improve sanitation. The design was revived by James Montagu, Master of Sidney Sussex College and built at the expense of the University and town. Although Thomas Hobson was just only one of those involved in the construction he endowed a Hobson's Conduit Trust to deal with maintenance of the waterway, which still exists today. The new river was dug from Vicar's Brook near Long Road to the conduit head at the end of Lensfield Road as a joint venture between the University and the city. Here the flow of water was divided into four separate branches for different uses.
Trumpington Street branch
The original branch still functions as sluices along Trumpington Street, where it is known as the Pem (east side) and Pot (west side). The City Council's Drainage Engineer controls flow through the sluices and generally lets water flow in the open conduits in Trumpington Street between April and September. Feeds run into Peterhouse and Pembroke Colleges. A run also used to feed into the basement of the old Addenbrooke's Hospital, which is now the location of the Judge Institute.
Market Place branch
Completed in 1614, this branch brought fresh water to the Market fountain in the centre of the Cambridge Market Place. Following a fire in 1849, the Market Square was redeveloped and in 1855 a Gothic Revival gabled fountain was erected (marked on many contemporary maps as "lavatory" as there were underground public conveniences here) and the original structure of Hobson's Conduit was moved. Most of the fountain was pulled down in 1953.
Flow to this branch was cut off in 1960 during construction of the Lion Yard development and has never been restored.
St Andrew's Street branch
Added in 1631, this branch flowed from the conduit head along Lensfield Road and St Andrew's Street toward Drummer Street where it split into feeds that ran into Christ's and Emmanuel Colleges as well as a public dipping point. Much of the open conduit along St Andrew's Street was covered in 1996 as part of pedestrian improvements.
Parker's Piece branch
A final branch ran from the conduit head toward Parker's Piece to feed a cattle pond, but this was disrupted in 1827 when the pond was filled in.
There are two inscription on the monument and an information plaque in front of it. The inscriptios read:
This Structure stood upon the
Market Hill and served as a
Conduit from 1614-1856 in which
year it was re-erected on this
spot by Public Subscription
The other inscription reads:
Thomas Hobson Carrier between
Cambridge and London a great
Benefactor to this University Town
Died 1st January 1630 in the 86th
year of his Age
The information plaque tells us:
Hobson's Conduit
In 1614, a joint enterprise of the University and the town of Cambridge brought a supply of running water into the town from springs at Great Shelford. Thomas Hobson, the Carrier (1544-1630) was a benefactor of the scheme and for that reason the watercourse became known as "Hobson's Conduit."
This monument marks the end of the artificial watercourse. From this point the water runs in culverts to re-appear in runnels in Trumpington Street and St Andrew's Street. Other culverts feed ponds in certain of the colleges.
From 1614 to 1856 the monument stood upon Market Hill where it served as a fountain in the latter year. Following the provision of a piped supply of water by the Cambridge Water Company, the "Fountain" was moved to this site. It was reconditioned in 1967.
This plaque was erected by the Hobson's Conduit Trustees and unveiled by the Mayor of Cambridge Councillor M N Bradford JP on 25th April 1967.
The monument is Grade II* listed with the entry at the Historic England website telling us:
Erected on Market Hill 1614, re-erected in present position in 1856. Hexagonal stone structure with moulded plinth; niche in each side with shell-head; entablature surmounted by strapwork cresting, achievement of Royal Arms on one side, putti and carved beasts at angles and ogee-shaped top surmounted by pineapple finial. Restored 1967. Interesting as the fountainhead of a very early public water supply.