THE LANDLORD of Droitwich’s Gardeners Arms is calling for something to be done to celebrate a salt spring which he says, as yet, is unregistered.
Simon Berry has conducted some historical research into the source, on the island in the middle of Vines Lane, after hearing about it from a number of residents who have lived in the street all their lives.
One resident Pat Green said: “I remember it in the 1960s when I was a girl – on that island there was a fountain in the middle of it which used to spring up every so often.”
She said she and her brother remember the council coming out to the island and putting a metal plate over the top of it.
“That plate will still be there, in the middle of the island and so will the spring but at the moment it is too overgrown.”
The brine was diverted under the road and the properties in Vines Lane and out into the River Salwarpe.
Geoff Hale moved to the area in 1999 and it is his garden the diversion pipes are under.
He said: “We were told the council at the time diverted it because the brine springing out of the ground was detrimental to the hedges in the area and causing problems.”
Mr Berry contacted Eurofins which tested the brine from the spring.
After being passed the details we contacted the British Geological Survey which is responsible for registering the country’s springs.
A spokesperson said if it was an unregistered spring a record of it could be placed on the WellMaster hydrogeological database which holds records of boreholes, wells and springs in the UK once the location was ascertained.
Mr Berry is now hoping that will happen and that the spring can be used as a feature for the area.
“It’s an important part of Droitwich history and needs to be recognised.”
A Wychavon District Council spokesperson said it was not instantly aware of the unregistered well.
Back in the 1960s, the town was run by Droitwich Borough Council and Droitwich Rural District Council.
Wychavon was created in 1974 by merging the two Droitwich councils, along with Evesham and Pershore Rural councils and it could be this is why the authority is unaware of the spring.
We contacted Fortis Living, which is thought to be the owner of the island, but no one was available for comment at the time The Standard went to press.
