The main sites and landmarks are as follows:
1) Friars Minor: A water supply was built in the late 13th century by the Friars Minor of the Franciscan Friary, which in medieval times stood near to God's House. The friars pumped water from Colewell Spring in Hill Lane to the Water House in Water Lane, and thence to the friary, with conduits in other parts of the town. In 1311 the Friars granted the use of their water to the town's inhabitants, and in 1420 they passed the whole water supply system over to the town council. This is, therefore, one of the earliest examples of a municipally owned water supply in Britain.
2) Houndwell springs: the spring was used as a watering place and washhouse, c.1430.
3. The Friars' supply was augmented by two conduits from Goswell in 1515: L A Burgess thinks that the Water House in Water Lane dates from this time.
4) Roger Pedley's additional supply from springs on the Common in 1594: the supply ran down the west side of the Avenue.
5) Doswell's supply from the Common springs with a reservoir ran along London Road from 1804.
6) Woodmill supply: c.1838.
7) An extra Common reservoir was built in 1830.
8) An artesian well was sunk on the Common in 1835-1845. The scheme was briefly revived in 1882.
9) The Mansbridge reservoir was built in 1850.
see also
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