Rackenford Pump History

[Thanks to Sarah Child and Andy Francis of Rackenford for the following:]

Rackenford's Water Supplies

Mains water did not arrive in Rackenford until the 1950s. From about 1940 a windmill on the common drew water from the spring which feeds Trinity Well for some houses with taps, but even this supply was erratic and water often had to be fetched from the village wells, as it had every day for the cottages without them. One pumphouse was on the main street, on the other side of the road from The Stag and outside The Old Wellhouse. The other and the oldest was Trinity Well, originally a holy well believed to have healing powers for eye troubles. Later it was thought to have the best water for laundry. The starched collars and pinafores of the children in the picture will all have been laundered by hand in houses with no running water, and ironed by irons heated on the stove.

The Trinity Well Project

The Trinity Well pumphouse was rebuilt by the Rackenford & Creacombe Parish Council in 2008/09. The design and ironwork were by Michael Lane, the initial excavation, uncapping of the well, and landscaping and paving by Fred and Brian Phillips, the foundation work by Mark Dean, noticeboards by Barry Cowell, the stone and cob building by John Hughes and the thatch by Eric and Susan Puffett. We were able to do this after several years of discussion thanks to grants from Awards for All and the Pennon Environmental Fund (Viridor). The next largest contribution came from an Auction of Promises held in Rackenford, organised by Helen Hyland, Graham Fennell, Siobhan Warne and Brian Peace, which was most generously supported. Other help in cash or work in kind came from the following:- Mrs Betty Morrish, in memory of Ernest and Evelyn May Berry of Middlecott Mrs FJ and Miss G M Arscott in memory of Jack Arscott of East Nutcott Linda Runes in memory of Douglas Bishop of Shielings Allan Terrett in memory of his Heywood, Gunn, Veysey and Crook ancestors The Devon County Council Parish Paths Partnership Scheme (P3) The Rackenford Village Hall Committee Sarah Child Barry Cowell Mark Dean Michael Lane Graham Lamb Fred, Brian and George Phillips Neil Upington The Rackenford Garden Club The children and staff of Rackenford School The Well was opened on August 8 2009 by Betty Kirby, whose parents Sid and Sylvia Crocker looked after the windmill and well remembered using the pumphouse.

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