VILLAGE PUMPS

The author of this Shire publication founded the National Register of Village Pumps, which currently lists more than 2,000 pumps in the UK. The village pump was once the focal point of rural life, providing the only dependable water supply to communities, and offering a place in town squares and village greens for people to come together. Sadly, with the introduction of piped mains, the village pump rapidly fell out of favour, often neglected or removed from where it once proudly stood. Richard Williams brings deserved attention to the history and explores the many different designs that existed and sheds light on the communities that relied upon them. Today more parish councils and local history societies are pushing to restore and renovate their village pumps, and this book is a timely study of these rural relics and includes practical advice on where to obtain expert help, replacement parts, and possible local authority financial assistance. Enjoy an array of splendid colour photographs, for example of the substantial Victorian gothic pumps in market places like Woodbridge, Suffolk, dated 1876, simple cast iron heavy troughs, the triple-throw flywheel and crank pump, foliated spouts, bucket hooks, counterweights, fluted caps with spiked finials, stylish urns, commemorative wooden pump shelters and some interesting archive images of people filling buckets and using a wooden yolk to carry them. 56 page softback, very well illustrated and includes colour photos.