News
On Saturday June 25th 2011, the Pool Group hosted a design event at Birdwood House to gather ideas from the local community about the design of area around the pool. You can read more about that here.
The Pool Project - Phase 3 of completing the Leechwell Garden
Restoring the pool or "Immersion Bath" within the garden is a major project. This page contains a briefing and notes on progress to date.
Background
The new Leechwell Garden contains a Scheduled Monument- a small triangular stone pool - standing in a secluded corner site within the main Garden. The pool was Scheduled in 2005 as an Immersion Bath associated with the Leechwell Holy Well (Mon no 3603).
The pool needs some repair work which will require Scheduled Monument Consent (SMC) from English Heritage. Once this is obtained, the LGA will apply for additional grant funding to carry out the work. At the moment, the pool is fenced off until repairs have been done, meanwhile allowing full public access to the main garden.
The challenge:
- To make the pool accessible, stable and waterproof
- To replace or repair the water inlet and outlet to and from the pool
- To enclose the pool appropriately for safety reasons
- To provide seats near the pool as requested by the community
- To provide additional planting and possibly public art in/near this area
These proposed restorations and changes to the pool cannot be undertaken without Scheduled Monument Consent (SMC).
Scheduled Monument Consent
This entails a formal process with detailed plans which have to be agreed with English Heritage before consent is granted. The process includes: identifying the significance of structure, agreed field investigation of the site, specifying the repair and other works required, identifying an appropriate repair methodology based on sound conservation principles and agreeing acceptable specialist contractors to carry out the work.
Financing repairs to the pool
Once SMC is obtained, the LGA will apply for Lottery or other funding to carry out the agreed work. Grant applications cannot be made until SMC is in place. Because of this, repairs to the pool, and its full incorporation into the new garden, may be delayed.
Managing the Pool Project
A small subgroup has been formed to take the pool project forward through fund-raising, working with local heritage groups etc: Shirley Prendergast, Jill Tomalin and Dave Mitchell from the LGA committee, together with Di Reeves, Liz Warnes and Roma Church. Archaeologist John Clipson, SHDC officer Alex Whish and TTC's Heritage Champion Pruw Boswell Harper will also be providing key input.
If you would like to get involved, please contact Jill Tomalin on 01803 849414 or email info@leechwellgarden.org.uk.
You can read minutes of the Pool Subcommittee meetings here.
