Book, “Swindon 50 Years Ago”, 1885 by William Morris, extract:
In constructing the Wilts and Berks Canal, the great difficulty was in devising means for keeping up the supply of water to the high level which branched out on every side from Swindon, and which would be lowered every time a boat passed through one of the locks.
To keep up the supply a very large body of water would have to be kept in reserve at some high level, and William Smith was consulted as to how this could best be accomplished. His first plan was to obtain the necessary supply of water by means of an artesian well to be sunk in the Kimmeridge clay at New Swindon, and under his directions a well was sunk a short distance east of the Wootton Bassett road, near to the canal, and between it and what is now known as Westcott-place.
The well was sunk to the depth of several hundred feet, and to a certain extent the anticipations of Mr Smith were realised, for, a water-bearing strata having been struck, the water rapidly filled the well to within a few feet from the top. This was disappointing, as it had been hoped that the water would flow over the top, as in the case of the other artesian wells, and, by being conveyed into the canal, would keep up the supply to the necessary level.
In the hope that the supply in the well would be constant-the presumption being that the supply was inexhaustible, only requiring more force to eject it, it was decided to erect steam-pumping machinery at what is now known as the old canal house. A powerful steam-power pump was erected but on being put to work it was found that the supply of water was so limited as to be altogether insufficient for the purpose required, it being possible to pump the well dry; and when this had been done a considerable time elapsed before it would fill up again. It was after these unsatisfactory results had been arrived at that it was resolved to construct the Coate Reservoir, and obtain the necessary supply of water from that source.
Many years afterwards an artesian well was sunk by the Great Western Railway Company about two miles distant from the one sunk by Mr Smith, in a north-east direction, with somewhat better success, and at the present time the same company are prosecuting extensive works in sinking another well mid-way between the two wells, but with what success time alone can tell.
Canal company records, Artesian well timeline:
- 1816 Jan: Digging begins
- 1816 Apr: No water found, William Smith engaged and Geology report said “Water will most probably soon be found, which may be expected to rise to the surface, but with such a head upon it, the discharge will be slow unless it be assisted by machinery”
- 1816 Aug: Well sunk to 267 ft with a 17in bore, water reached
- 1817 Jan: Horse Gin erected to draw water
- 1817 Mar: Another horse Gin erected
- 1818 Mar: William Dunsford letter that water rose 20 yards in the next 25 hours, 11 yards in the next 20 hours, 5 yards in the next 24 hours, and subsequently at the rate of about 1 yard per diem until it stood at 3 yards 2 feet 3 inches under the surface.
- 1818 Jun to December: Steam engine installed and working
- 1820 Feb: William Smith inspected the pit
- 1820 Apr: William Dunsword reports that the pit was 6 ft in diameter and contained 2 locks of water, however the engine sucked the well dry in 2 hours and the well took 3 days and nights to refill, the experiment was abandoned
- 1821 Jan: Engine sold
- 1821 May: Construction starts on the Coate water reservoir