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Scheduled Monument record MDR6287 - Conduit House (B), High Street, Bolsover, Old Bolsover

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

Four buildings: (A) at SK 4716 7044 [SMR11207]; (B) at SK 4733 7025 [SMR11208]; © at SK 4745 7011 [SMR11209]; (D) at SK 4761 6996 [SMR11210]. WATCH HOUSE [G.T.]. (1) The four small buildings, called watch towers, on the west slope of Bolsover Castle hill, date probably from 1622-42. Scheduled as 'Watch Towers' (2-4) These so-called 'Watch Towers' are, in fact, conduit or spring-fed well houses: the architecture supports a 17th century date. They seem to be part of the town's water supply, each probably fed by a separate spring, for there is no certain evidence of their being interconnected by piping. Building 'B' - see photo AO/59/366/3. (5) A series of four watch houses to the south-east of Bolsover Castle, Bolsover, are ashlar one storey buildings, of 16th century date. Grade 2. (6) The conduit houses are built on the line of the castle water supply from a spring on the Spittle Green to the south-east. Sir William Cavendish secured a right of way to enable him to lay the pipe connecting the conduits in July 1622, thus the buildings date from that time or shortly after. (7) The conduit houses off Castle Lane and off High Street were examined in detail by the RCHME after a serious slippage of a section of escarpment and in anticipation of further movement. Surviving evidence suggests that these two conduit houses were originally almost identical. Each is a small single-cell, single-storey structure, 122 x 122cm internally, with walls, of squared magnesian limestone, standing on a series of plinths. Each has a barrel-vaulted stone roof. No trace of the original roofing material is apparent. The High Lane conduit house has a chamfered square-headed doorway in the uphill (north-east) elevation and a chamfered single-slight window over it. Both have a drain in the downhill elevation at floor level. (9) 17th century Conduit Houses. Consolidated as ruins, but vulnerable. Structural survey undertaken for Civic Society under CAP scheme. Consolidation works undertaken. (10)

Sources/Archives (10)

  • <1> Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1914-38. OS 6".
  • <2> Bibliographic reference: Pegge, S. 1785. History of Bolsover and Peak Castles. p 24-5, illust.
  • <3> Article in serial: Gregory, F. 1948. 'Bolsover Castle. A review of the 17th century buildings', Transactions of the Thoroton Society. Volume 51, p 4ff. pp 26ff.
  • <4> Scheduling record: Ministry of Works. 1958. Ancient Monuments of England and Wales.
  • <5> Personal Observation: F1 WW 24-NOV-59.
  • <6> Bibliographic reference: Department of the Environment. 1961. Bolsover, Derbyshire, November 1961.
  • <7> Bibliographic reference: DOE (IAM) Bolsover Castle 1972 64 (P.A. Faulkner).
  • <8> Index: NDAT. 1622. 1622.
  • <9> Unpublished document: RCHME (Royal Commission on the Historic Monuments of England). 1994. Historic Building Report, Conduit Houses off Castle Lane and High Street, Old Bolsover, Derbyshire.
  • <10> Unpublished document: Bolsover District Council. 2008. Bolsover District Council Historic Environment Scheme 2008-2012.

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SK 4733 7025 (3m by 3m) Centre
Civil Parish OLD BOLSOVER, BOLSOVER, DERBYSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (2)

  • EDR3523
  • EDR2471

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Record last edited

Jan 23 2024 8:39PM

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