Public Pond Making

1899   KEECH PONDS

LACEY GREEN IS 700 FEET above sea level, shown by a benchmark at Stocken Farm, rising to 750 feet at the trig point on Pink Road.   Obviously no spring water up here.   Water, being a necessity in order to live, ingenuity was called for.   All rain water was collected from roofs into butts or underground tanks that held, say, four to five thousand gallons.   Either you dibbed into it with a bucket or there would be a pump on top.   The pump had to be primed with some water, so a little had to be kept back for that purpose.  So, the people had water, always providing there was sufficient rain.  

PUBLIC PONDS were also vitally important.   These were all established long before the enclosures were made in 1823 but were identified at that time.   By far the deepest one called “Deep Pit” is still to be seen in Kiln Lane.   There is just the possibility that this simply held water because it was naturally lined with clay, having been dug to obtain clay for the brickworks nearby.   This pond was important as it was designated for domestic use only and fenced against livestock.   It was dosed with lime to keep the water sweet.   It is thought that the pond behind Well Cottage in Church Lane was also for domestic use only – it was certainly fenced against cattle.   It was later named as “Baggies” pond after ‘Baggie’ Bowler who lived nearby.

MORE PONDS.   Apart from ‘Deep Pit’ many others were certainly man-made ‘dew’, ‘catch’, or ‘keech’ ponds, as they were known locally and could be used for livestock.   There were also a great many that were not for the general public, made on farms, for the use of their animals.   There were maybe a few cattle, not milking cows, but farm horses, a few donkeys maybe, hens, geese and the family pig, would all need water. Sheep could often get enough from the grass.

MAKING DEW PONDS was a very ancient skill.   After digging a suitable hollow, the bottom was first lined with straw.   This insulated the cold water from the warmer ground.   Onto that went a layer of clay, which was then ‘puddled’.   It was very important to have the right sort of clay and to compact it properly.   This would produce conditions where the change of temperature created good condensation, hence another name, ‘dew ponds’.   With the clay properly sealed the pond would also hold rainwater.   Teams of men who specialised in making them would travel and stay on site while they made them.   If a pond did dry out the clay would crack, so it then became necessary to seal it again properly otherwise it would no longer hold water.

GONE.   Many of these ponds have disappeared.   Some have had houses built over them, some have had gardens extended to include them.   “Nanny Cooper’s Pond” was filled in by the RAF when they built the WW2 airfield at Stocken Farm.  It was named after an old lady who was said to have drowned there, some said she swung over it in a bucket!   Many very shallow ones have just gradually filled in.             

Amenity Name	Public Pond Making
Current Status (Active/Inactive)	active but rare
Founded Date	ancient
Closure Date