W. IT. Sudledon — Recent Weils in Dorset. 215 



the high road from that town to Dorchester. To anyone coming 

 from Wareham it presents the first sharp rise from the low platform 

 on which Wareham is built, ^ and the contour map shows us that it 

 consists of an elevated platform with steep sides, sloping to the south 

 and north rivers respectively. 



As regards its geological features, "Worgret Hill may be said to 

 occupy a central position in the great trough or sjmcline of Wareham,^ 

 being about equidistant from the outcrops on either side. Except for 

 Plateau- gravel on the summit platform it consists wholly of clays and 

 sands of the Bagshot series, and it is the alternation of these which 

 constitute its water-bearing capacities (see Section, Fig. 2). These 

 Bagshot Beds extend for an unknown depth downwards, and quite 

 possibly hereabouts attain their maximum thickness so far as this part 

 of Dorset is concerned. 



In the year 1898 a trial borehole was made at Worgret by 

 Messrs. Pike Bros., and in 1899 the sinking of the well commenced. 

 After getting through the Higher Bagshot Clay Series an abundant 

 supply of water was found in a coarse silicious sand with much 

 'lydite,' struck at about 108 feet from the surface, and this water 

 rose to a level of 91 feet from the surface in the well. Borings were 

 subsequently continued about this period to a depth of 121 feet from 

 the surface. 



In JN'ovember, 1900, there was a fortnight's test-pumping, when 

 the flow was found to be 94 gallons per minute. In August, 1901, 

 the permanent pumps were fixed, and in November of that year 

 a further test-pumping yielded 56,000 gallons of water in ten hours. 

 There seems to have been some suspicion as to the turbidity of the 

 water, and Mr. Chatterton, the engineer, then felt satisfied that if 

 some turbidity still existed it could be got rid of by deepening 

 the well. 



On February 4th, 1903, an enquiry instituted by the Local 

 Government Board was held at Wareham, in the matter of the 

 application of the Town Council to borrow a certain amount for the 

 purposes of a water supply. This was sanctioned in September, 1904, 

 and the tender of Messrs. Docwra & Sons to carry ou.t the works 

 was accepted. These works consisted chiefly in making a reservoir on 

 the top of Worgret Hill, and in laying the mains to and throughout 

 the town of Wareham. During the operations Messrs. Docwra used 

 a considerable quantity of water from the well, and it was found to be 

 still turbid with much fine sand. 



There was still some dissatisfaction at the turbidity of the water, 

 and in June, 1905, cavities in the sides of the well had to be filled 

 with gravel. It was also decided to start a borehole from the bottom 

 of the well in the hopes of finding a more satisfactory supply of water. 

 On October 7th Mr. Chatterton, the engineer, wrote to the effect that 

 the test-pumping showed that the boring yielded practically no further 

 supply of water. At that time the borehole had passed through the 



^ The cross roads in tlie centre of "Wareham mark 21-1 feet above O.D. 

 2 For a diagrammatic sketch of the Trough of Wareham see Proc. Dorset Field 

 Club, vol. xxiii, p. 148. 



