356 PROCEEDINGS COTTESWOLD CLUB 1912 



It was further provided that the Friars would keep in repair 

 all the pipes, etc., the City paying three-fourths of the cost, 

 and that neither party was to do anything to lessen the supply 

 of the other. This agreement provides for the first public 

 supply of water to the City, and for over 400 years the springs 

 of Malson and Robinswood were the chief sources of that 

 supply. 



The earliest drawing of the High Cross is in the Rental 

 of the City compiled in 1455 by Robert Cole, Canon of Llan- 

 thony, and here are shown the conduit taps for the use of the 

 inhabitants. 



Leland, who visited the City in the middle of the i6th 

 century (c. 1540-1550), says 



" at the place of the midle metynge. or quaterfors of thcs stretes, is 

 aquaduklyd incastelhd."' 



In 1556 we find another reference to this supply from the 

 Grey Friars, for on April i of that year, a demise for 500 years 

 from March 25 was granted by Thomas Payne, Alderman of 

 Gloucester, to Thomas Pyrye (or Pury) Alderman, and his wife 

 Joan, of the site and property of the Grey Friars, including 



" all that pipe or conduit of lead stretching under the ground from Mat- 

 tesknoll otherwise called ' Mattcstonehill ' paying therefor yearly to the 

 said Payn 30s. and 3s. 4^. to the Crown and id. to the Mayor and Bur- 

 gesses of Gloucester, if it be asked. "- 



On the same date a bond in £100 from Thomas Payne for 

 performing the conditions of his lease, so far as it concerned 

 the conduit of water, was entered into.^ The last of the 

 Records relating to this supply is a grant, dated March 22. 

 1623-4, 



" from John Guye and Abel Kytchyn, to Thomas Purye, of Gloucester, 

 of all the waters and springs, and heads of springs, channels, pipes, etc., 

 in the ground of the hill called ' MattesknoU ' or ' Robinhoodes Hill ' 

 in the County of the City of Gloucester, and also the leaden pipe going 

 from the said hill to the garden of the Grey Friars in Gloucester, and the 

 fourth part of the water conveyed by the said pipe."* 



In August, 1630, the Corporation purchased from Thomas 

 Pury the whole of his interest and control of Grey Friars, as 

 well as in the pipe from Robinswood Hill, for the sum of £50, this 

 giving the Corporation power over the public supply. In 1634, 



1 Leland's " Itinerary," ed. by Miss L. Toulmin Smith, vol ii., p. 57. 



2 " Calendar " pp. 441-442. 3 Ibid., p. 442. 4 Ibid., p. 452. 



