Horse Pond Sluice - Delf Street, Sandwich, Kent, UK.
Posted by: 
MeerRescue
N 51° 16.570 E 001° 20.245
31U E 384034 N 5681849
Horse Pond Sluice is situated in Delf Street, Sandwich, Kent, UK.
Waymark Code: WMEA9D
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 04/26/2012
Views: 5
From the beginning of the 13th century Sandwich was supplied with water from a
man-made channel called the Delf. It was probably originally constructed to
supply St Bartholomew's Hospital on the outskirts of Sandwich, and its
maintenance was the responsibility of the town. The area called Brooklands, near
Finglesham and Ham, was not drained so the fenland would act as a reservoir to
supply water for the Delf (also known as the South Stream). The Delf, which ran
from Roaring Gutter, operated successfully until 1820 when Brooklands was
drained. This greatly restricted the water flow and, in 1825, led to the
introduction of an innovative water management scheme devised by Henry Foord,
which used inverted siphons to keep the South Stream at a sufficient gradient to
flow into Sandwich. The Delf continued to supply Sandwich with water until 1899.
The Delf flows under the pavement in
front of the 15th century Grade II listed residential property named 'Horse Pond
Sluice'. The Sluice gate itself is sited alongside the front of the property.
The hand operated sluice gate controlled water around the ancient Sandwich Town.