A Quaint System

A Quaint System

12 Aug 1923

A QUAINT SYSTEM
ACCUSTOMED as we are to a plentiful supply of water at high pressure, and, in cases of fire, to the services of. a, skilled brigade, it is difficult to realise the clumsy contrivances of our ‘ancient Civic Fathers when they ordered twelve graps of iron for pulling down houses that might chance to be’ on fire, and eleven buckets of leather for carrying water to quench it. But still, in those early days, those Fathers were not without foresight and consideration in organising a supply of water for the needs of the small city that Dublin then was. .
THE DODDER RIVER.
As early as “?” the discussion of a water supply had been taken up by the King’s Justiciar, or Viceroy, and the citizens, feeling it a pressing want, voted money. But the construction of the water-way was nearly as slow as the construction of our second reservoir of today. It took ten years to accomplish it, even though the King – was most anxious to have his supply in Dublin Castle. But even the King had to wait on the will of the Civic Fathers, as it was their business. Curious to relate, the source selected by them, for tho supply was that selected by the Rathmines Council in later years for the supply of their exclusive township.
This was the source of the River Dodder above Bohernabreena in Glasnamucky. The river flowed until it came to Balrothery, opposite Firhouse, south-east of Tallaght, where a dam of stone—called the “Head”—was erected, by which the water supply was diverted from the river —the river continuing its natural course. The artificial water-way ran north-east to the ancient churchyard of Templeogue, and then joined the springs that are the source of the river Poddle, near Tymon. In this the Fathers showed wisdom, for the Poddle skirted the ancient city of Dublin in its tortuous flow. From Tymon to Mount Argus the water-way and the Poddle were one stream. But here they parted. A stone-pier, at an acute angle, called the ” Tongue,” divided tho stream, the water-way being carried west, and the Poddle going its natural course through Harold’s Cross. The Poddle itself, after leaving the “Tongue,” branched off into two streams, one going by Marrowbone Lane, Pimlico. Ardee St., Warrenmount, and the rere of New Row, through the grounds of St. Thomas’s Abbey, enclosed St. Patrick’s Church on one side, while the parent stream flowed down from Harold’s Cross to enclose the other side, thus making St. Patrick’s Church a church on an island. The two streams again united after leaving St. Patrick’s, and flowing by the Castle walls, and under teo present Empire (or Olympia.) theatre, emptied itself into the Liffey.

ANCIENT WATER-WAY.
But our concern is with the water-way diverted at the “Tongue” at Harold’s Cross. It skirted St. Jerome’s cemetery, and, through a beautiful stretch of land, continued to Dolphin’s Barn, and reached its great cistern or High Pipe, now familiarly known as the “Back of the Pipes,” near St. James’s Gate, where the present City basin was afterwards erected.
Tho Civic Fathers were wise in their selection of this high ground for their cistern or reservoir, for the city then stood on a height, between James’s Street and the Castle, and the flow of water was natural from that spot. From James’s Street to the city the water-way ran through Thomas Street and High Street to the conduit opposite Christ Church and the Tholsel or Town Hall.
The course down Thomas Street and Hight Street was an open stream, with gross banks, up to a certain point not clearly located, from which point the water seems to have been conveyed in open wooden troughs to the public conduit. Several small cisterns were supplied by it en route. From the conduit at Christ Church and the small cisterns leaden pipes conveyed. The water to the residences of such of the citizens as had special grants from the Corporation.

COMMONERS CATERED FOR.
But the common folk were not neglected, and in many instances the wealthier burgesses were allowed sufficient to supply the want of their poorer neighbours, who came and drew from these private fountains. Sometimes a landlord supplied his tenants from his own cistern by a number of pipes. The Corporation, however, expressly laid it down that these pipes should not be thicker than a goose quill. This shows that the water was kept continually flowing, as we see today in many Continental towns, and there must have been tanks or vessels to receive it. The inhabitants along Thomas Street helped themselves furtively, liberally, and free of charge cut of the running stream, whilst those who lived near the stream between Kimmage and Dolphin’s Barn ingeniously made holes in the banks to supply their fields.

REPAIR AND SUPERVISION.
To keep such an open water-way in proper repair and condition was no easy matter. There were many mills along its course, the owners of which did not hesitate to dam tho stream for a better flow of water to turn them, much to the damage of tho supply to the citizens. The banks and troughs – were constantly in need of cleansing and repair. The care of the stream was, therefore, entrusted to two individuals. From the “Head” to the “Tongue” was entrusted to some substantial yeoman resident in the neighbourhood of Templeogue or Tallaght, and from the “Tongue” to the city cistern to the care of one of the Corporation officials no less a personage than the Bearer of the Footmen Banner, who also received the honourable name of “keeper of the town grounds called the Pipe-grass” namely, the grass along the banks of tho troughs. To pay these guardians of the course the Corporation exacted tithes of corn from all the mills in and about the city for the supply of water to them. They also directed that the fee of 12d. (present value about 30s. or 40s.) payable by each person admitted to the City franchise should be applied to repairing the leaden pipes in the city, and to scouring them where they joined the conduit. But each householder was bound to open up the street and lay his pipes initially at his own expense, and to do it ” speedily.” so as not to interfere with the convenience of tho passers-by, and also to open up the street for repair of the pipes and to pave it decently. He was to pay a rent of 6d. (about 15s. or £1) yearly for his water supply, and the neighbour who was favoured with the goose-quill pipe paid 1d. a year.

GRANTS OF WATER
Considering the primitive contrivance of wooden troughs, etc., it was an easy matter for Silken Thomas in the year 1534, with his forces assembled in Thomas Street, to cut the pipes and starve the citizens of their fresh water. This system of open wooden troughs lasted until late In the 18th century, when wooden pipes were introduced, but these gave way in a short time to a “curious system of metal and wooden pipes.” It was not until 1802 that an important improvement was made in the structure of the pipes; “it was found that those of wood rapidly decayed, and iron tubes were then laid.”
The religious communities, at Thomas Court. St. John’s outside Newgate, and Christ Church, with their hospitals, guesthouses, and alms-house, got their pipes laid from the stream and the conduit in the very first year (1254) of the supply. But the most interesting instance of the anxiety to profit by it is afforded by the house of the Friar’s Preachers, St. Saviour’s, which stood on the site of the ill-fated Four Courts. To carry the water from High Street across the Liffey was no easy matter in those days. Yet they succeeded.
They were allowed to join their pipe to the city pipe at the New Gate(Cornmarket), which, passing through municipal and archiepiscopal land, arrived at the river. Here they brought it across the river, but they were solemnly warned by the Corporation to do no injury to the old bridge.
FRIARS’ PRIVILEGES.
The diameter of the Friars’ pipe was to be five inches, and within their house it was to be so narrowed that its opening might be stopped by the insertion of a man’s little finger. The Friars were to keep’ up the pipe at their own expense, and the Mayor and citizens agreed, that should they be at any time molested in respect of the city conduit pipe, the Archbishop of Dublin, by stopping the pipe where it crossed through his lands, might restrain the citizens.
The districts on either side of the ridge of the city also received a water supply – through overflow streams. The citizens were not permitted to wash clothes in the overflow that ran through Thomas Street, except in the special place reserved for the purpose, which was by St. John’s Poorhouse (site of present Augustinian Church), and tripes and puddings were not to be cleansed in the same on a penalty of 12d. to be paid by anyone so offending.

MUNIFICENT MAYOR
We cannot close without mentioning an item that was considered at the time (year 1308) to have never been equalled, at least in the experience of the citizens of Dublin. The Mayor of the time John le Decer, was an eminently charitable man and munificent citizen. He and built the bridge across tho Liffey at St. Wolstan’s, near Celbridge, a chapel of Our Lady at the Friars Minors of Francis Street (where he was buried), repaired the church of the Friars Preachers, and every Friday “tabled ihn Friars at his own cost.” As well as providing cheap corn in times of death. But the great work for which he is remembered in muncipal records is the great marble cistern at Cornmarket, called the “High Pipe” for the greater convenience of the citizens who wished to introduce pipes from it into their houses. Taking it ail round, with its primitive methods, its difficulties, and its disadvantages, the old water supply tor the growing population of the ancient city of Dublin does credit to the enterprise’ and foresight of the Civic Fathers of those days. The new reservoir is no less an indication, in changed circumstances, of the possession of these qualities by the present guardian of the interests of the burgesses.

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