VOL. XVIII. (2) WATER SUPPLY OF CIRENCESTER 177 



A sample of the water was submitted on the 8th January, 

 1872, to Prof. A. H. Church, M.A., F.C.S., of the Royal Agri- 

 cultural College, who reported : — 



" This water corresponds in general character and in chemical com- 

 position to the best deep well waters of this district. It is quite suitable 

 for drinking purposes and for ordinary domestic uses. 



" The hardness of this water is 14-95 degrees, reduced Jo 4-9 degrees 

 b}' boiling. One imperial gallon contains 21-42 grains of total residue or 

 saline matter. Of this residue 2 grains are sulphate of lime and 1-49 

 grains common salt. The colour, odour and taste of this water are 

 quite satisfactory." 



Taunton published a coloured vertical section of The- 

 Barton-Mill boring in the " Proceedings " of the Club, and a 

 paragraph in explanation.^ 



For some reason or other the Barton site was not adopted, 

 and the bore-hole has never been utilized. Instead, attention 

 was given to a site, marked by the present pumping-station 

 (2 on the map), in Lewis Lane — in the town. 



From 1832 to 1882 the site of the present pumping-station 

 was occupied by Messrs E. Bowly & Son's Brewery, Mr E. Bowly 

 purchasing the Brewery in 1832. Previous to 1880 the Brewery 

 obtained its water from a well 30 feet deep and 3 feet 6 inches in 

 diameter. This well passed through about 7 feet of made 

 ground, about 12 feet of gravel, 2 feet of fine sand, into clay, 

 and was lined \\ath cast-iron cylinders. The water was, of 

 course, derived from the gravel-bed. 



In 1880, however, Messrs Bowly required more water, and, 

 therefore, had a 4-inch chisel-boring put do\\Ti from the bottom 

 of their well to a depth of 100 feet, or 130 feet from the sur- 

 face." Joseph Lucas, F.G.S., was engaged by Messrs Bowly to 

 advise them. 



Lucas at first thought that an adequate supply would be 

 obtained from " the junction of the Stonesfield Slate with the 

 Fullers' Earth, "^ but after he had been over the ground, came 

 to the conclusion that a sufficient quantity would probably 

 be obtained from the Great OoHte.'* 



1 VoL ix , pt. I (1886I, p. 60. 



2 This is the well referred to by Harker as " The well at Le«-is Lane (Bowly's Well)," Proc . 

 Cotteswold Xat. F.C., vol. x., pt. 2 (1891), p. 185. 



S In litt. to Messrs Bowly & Son, i6th April, 1880. 4 In liU. 21st April, 1880. 



Copies of letters written on .\pril l6th, 2ist, 24th, and May 3rd are deposited at the PubUc Library- , 

 Gloucester, the Bingham Librari,-, Cirencester, and at the ofiSce of the Surveyor to the Cirencester 

 Urban District Council. 



