Brining a well back into service - what's the likelihood?

[NT]

I understand you, now.

I can see how the much higher population density and more intensive land use can make the potential for ground water contamination much higher in the UK than Texas, which makes me happier that I'm on public water in the UK.

alice

OTOH a deep enough well can often get round that issue, so its far from always a problem.


NT

 

[Tom]

"This will allow us to move in later this year, which my husband is desperate to do after spending 11 years in a static caravan!"

Well, nice to hear youre finally letting him back in after 11 years banishment to a caravan. I daren't ask what he did!


NT

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Actually, it's not been that bad. It's a very modern one. We have 2 bedrooms (there's only us two so one is for clothes and stuff), bathroom, full kitchen and all the usual mod cons. We've winterised it, too, so even in winter it takes only a few minutes to warm up. Very little cleaning to do I quite like it in here. It's a bit like being on holiday all the time I think we're going to rattle around quite a bit when we get into the house!!

Jaqy

 

[Penners]

I guess it's time to let the cat out of the bag.......

......OK, so I found our well!

Oh - you think we hadn't guessed?!

 

[Tom]

Penners, I know most of you would have guessed cos you're all smart cookies! But I had to be careful in case any 'spies' were reading!! Apparently, on a site not far from us (although under a different District Council) the builders have been made to fill a discovered well with concrete :shock: ...while the Building Inspector watches!!! I didn't want to be forced to do the same to ours!!

Jaqy

 

[Penners]

Penners, I know most of you would have guessed cos you're all smart cookies! But I had to be careful in case any 'spies' were reading!!

Don't worry - I won't tell anyone if you won't. :wink:

 

[Tom]

Ooooohhhh a secret...I love secrets!!

By the way, I wonder if you can help me out with something else? (Watch it!!) I'm doing my family tree and one of my ancestors is listed as being born in Sapperton, Suffolk in 1865 but I can't find where that might be. Do you know of it? I'm wondering if it might have been a hamlet that's been swallowed up by a village or town? Or maybe the spelling's wrong. Do you know of anything such as Lapperton or Safferton, for example? No worries if not...I just thought I'd ask

Jaqy

 

[biffvernon]

How about Sapiston? Annie Crick? Lots of Cricks in Sapiston.

 

[Tom]

Yes, it is Annie Crick. I guess it must be Sapiston, then. Must have been mis-read by the transcriber, maybe? Thanks, Biff. Do you have any more info on the Cricks?

Jaqy

 

[biffvernon]

Arnott, William
William Arnott was born in 1852 at Cherry Burton, England. In 1886 he married Annie Crick who was born at Sapperton, Suffolk, England in 1865. They were married in Calgary at the Church of the Redeemer. There was one child, Beatrice Lillian born at Calgary in 1887.

from http://www.pioneersalberta.org/profiles/a.html

Then google for <sapiston crick> and you'll find there are lots.

 

[Jane Smith]

Jaqy, we depend on our well as our only source of water. It's underneath our house, and about 9m deep (I think).

I don't think you'll need to spend anything like £250 to find out if there's water, and to have it tested. Last time we had tests on the water (about a year ago) it only cost about £60. And it's easy enough to lower something in to test the depth of the well and the water yourself.

When we first moved in the tests (done by our local hospital) showed that the water had heavy metals in it, and e. Coli. Yum. We spent about £2,500 installing high-tech filters, UV sterilisation, and a nice auto pump system. However, if your water's not so bad (don't suppose you have as many sheep around as we do) you could do it much more cheaply by building a slow sand filter, which you can find out about from the CAT.

Can't see why you'd have to fill it in if you didn't want to, so long as it's stable. And even if it isn't, you should be able to make it stable without too much trouble.

 

[Tom]

BIFF

I had already found that page, which is what led me to Annie. But, thanks to you, I now had Sapiston to work on...thanks

JANE

Thanks for your post. It's good to know that using this well would be possible. How do you access your well if it's under the house? Is it at floor level inside or have you raised it up? Ours is at floor level and I'd like to build it up to make a feature of it. Do you think that would be appropriate? I must admit, I'm not sure what to do with it...other than I'd like to use the water it has, if that's possible!! Any advice would be very, very welcome Thanks.

Jaqy

 

[Penners]

I'm doing my family tree and one of my ancestors is listed as being born in Sapperton, Suffolk in 1865 but I can't find where that might be.

I think Biff's right. I don't know of any Sapperton in Suffolk (although I think there's one in Wiltshire). Sapiston is between Bury St Edmunds and Thetford.

If you're looking for Cricks, don't forget Michael Crick - a writer and TV journalist often seen on Newsnight. He used to live in the same village as us in Oxfordshire. But he moved away and I'm not sure where he is now.

 

[Jane Smith]

There's a little gable that sticks out of the house in the courtyard; this has a cellar, with access via a flight of stone steps, from the courtyard. The well is just a hole in the corner of this little (3m x 2.5m?) cellar. Doesn't look like anything much at all. But the water's lovely!

The well cellar has all the filtration kit fixed to the wall, which is in turn draped with a bit of plastic to help stop filth falling on top of it. This cellar also has a coal chute into it, which raises interesting questions about how the coal was kept out of the well. No idea!

 

[Penners]

The well cellar has all the filtration kit fixed to the wall, which is in turn draped with a bit of plastic to help stop filth falling on top of it.

Ah - that explains your gin intake. Much healthier than your water.

 

[Tom]

There's a little gable that sticks out of the house in the courtyard; this has a cellar, with access via a flight of stone steps, from the courtyard. The well is just a hole in the corner of this little (3m x 2.5m?) cellar. Doesn't look like anything much at all. But the water's lovely!

The well cellar has all the filtration kit fixed to the wall, which is in turn draped with a bit of plastic to help stop filth falling on top of it. This cellar also has a coal chute into it, which raises interesting questions about how the coal was kept out of the well. No idea!

Jane, do you have any pictures of your well and the filtration kit? I'm trying to get an idea of what will be needed and what it will look like. Failing that, I'd like to pay you a visit on your next open day...if you have one planned!

Jaqy

 

[Tom]

If you're looking for Cricks, don't forget Michael Crick - a writer and TV journalist often seen on Newsnight. He used to live in the same village as us in Oxfordshire. But he moved away and I'm not sure where he is now.

Thanks, Penners. I'd hit a bit of a wall with this branch of my tree but this gives me some new leads

Jaqy

 

[Jane Smith]

Penners, I'm afraid that nothing can explain my gin habit.

Jaqy, I'll search out some photos but they're not very interesting. If you're over this way, you're welcome to come and have a look. Just let me know.

 

[Tom]

Thanks, Jane. That's very, very kind of you and much appreciated!

Steve says he can remember your cellar but I can't....my memory must be failing!! :shock:

Jaqy

 

[Penners]

Steve says he can remember your cellar but I can't....my memory must be failing...

... or it's Jane's gin again.

 

[Tom]

We didn't get any gin ( :shock: ) but we did get an enormous amount of inspiration - worth its weight in gold at the time. We were having a bit of a low point with the house and it certainly pepped us up again!!

Jaqy