Whitewell Well

One of the original wells is located in Well Lane, positioned to the east of the church. Annually, a ceremonial blessing is conducted, when church members create a floral tableau.

The procurement of water for both hygienic and potable uses necessitated the extraction of water from adjacent wells. The image depicted below showcases a cluster of four cottages situated along Southford Lane, which together relied on a single water source. The image depicts Mrs. Newington, the offspring of Jacob Saunders, who has successfully retrieved two pails of water with a rope of 20 feet in length.

The topic of discussion is to the provision and management of water resources in rural communities.

Frederick Patsy Orchard, who was born in 1907 and passed away in 1989, resided at Jolliffe’s Farm located near Nettlecombe. According to the author’s memories, the farm was equipped with a well located near the entrance gate. This well served as a water source for the household and was also used to fill tanks in the yard for the purpose of providing water to the cattle. Similar to the majority of residential dwellings, the toilet facility was situated outside, necessitating periodic emptying of the receptacle every few days. This practise was commonly referred to as the “bucket and chuck it” technique. Due to the considerable distance between his school and his residence, the individual found it impractical to return home for lunch. Consequently, the school administration arranged for the provision of sandwiches, while a beverage, namely water, was sourced from The Red Lion, an establishment situated in close proximity to the school.

In 1873, Theodor Julius William Spindler, a German industrial chemist, made the decision to relocate to the island with the intention of improving his health. Subsequently, in 1882, he acquired a 144-acre estate called Old Park, situated in the Undercliff region.

Mr. William Spindler shown remarkable generosity as a subscriber to a fund aimed at providing a reliable source of uncontaminated drinking water for the residents who had experienced adverse health effects due to consuming water from the nearby wells and springs. The generous act of Mr. Granville Ward was the donation of a parcel of land for the construction of a reservoir, accompanied by the concession of water rights from the springs located within his Bierley estate. The research was conducted by Theodor Saunders, with the total expenditure amounting to about £600, which was equally divided between Spindler and the local residents.

The comprehensive plan encompassed the entirety of the village, incorporating the adjacent hamlet of Nettlecombe, which had around 16 cast iron outlets sometimes referred to as ‘lions’ or ‘red boys’.

“Going down to the Red Lion for a drink’ didn’t quite have the same meaning as it does today.”

The image depicts outlets with a lion’s head motif, accompanied by a platform situated adjacent to a bucket and handle mechanism that activates the water flow originating from the lion’s mouth. Additionally, a metallic cup was present, suspended by a chain.

In 1873, a chemist specialising in industrial applications, hailing from Berlin, Germany, arrived in Ventnor with the primary objective of addressing personal health concerns. The individual in question resided in Medina Cottage until he successfully engaged in negotiations for the acquisition of Old Park in the year 1881. One of the projects that he undertook was the construction of a sea wall at Binnel, as well as the implementation of water stands known as ‘Red Boys’ in the community of Whitwell.

In addition, he, together with his associates, initiated the construction of the road connecting St. Lawrence Shute and Pine Point in Ventnor, as well as the road between Kemming Road and Niton.

• Robin Thornton
• http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Whitwell,_Isle_of_Wight