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Monument details
| HER Number: | TR 15 NE 37 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Monastic Waterworks |
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Summary
Monastic waterworks and conduit house, originally constructed during the 12th century. The present Conduit House is probably on the site of and incorporates part of the original conduit house depicted in a plan of circa 1160. The waterworks plan indicates that the spring water was piped below ground from the Conduit House down the line of the present Military Road to the Cathedral precincts, the last tank of the series being placed against the city wall.
| Grid Reference: | TR 1561 5832 |
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| Map Sheet: | TR15NE |
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| Parish: | CANTERBURY, CANTERBURY, KENT |
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Monument Types
| Protected Status: | Scheduled Monument KENT 265 |
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Full description
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(TR 15985859 to TR 15245806) Monastic Waterworks, Conduit House to the Cathedral Precincts. Of the original 12th century system nothing has yet been found. Extensive disturbances to the landscape by the military in the 19th and early 20th centuries and more recent developments in the area have probably removed most traces of it. The present Conduit House probably occupies the site of, and incorporates part of the original Conduit House which appears in the famous waterworks plan of c1160 as a circular structure marked 'turris' (see illustration card). The waterworks plan indicates that the spring water was piped below ground from the Conduit House down the line of the present Military Road to the Cathedral precincts, the last tank of the series being placed against the city wall, inside which is a crenellated tower. This tower is shown on the first edition 1:500 sheet 46.3.14 for 1874, as Tower (remains of). The tower is also shown but unnamed on OS 1:1250 1971 at TR 15245806. It seems reasonable to assume that this is the tower shown on the c1160 drawing. If so a plan can be produced showing the direction of the waterworks from the Conduit House to the Cathedral (see illustration card). (1-2) TR 159585. Conduit House, NE of Victoria married quarters, Military Road. Scheduled No 265. (3-5)
<1> Arch of Cant 8 1987 photo plan 25-31 Fig (SS Frere P Bennett J Rady and S Stow) (OS Card Reference). SKE36836.
<2> Arch Cant 7 1868 plan 158-206 (R Willis) (OS Card Reference). SKE35461.
<3> English Heritage SAMs Kent 1987 5 (OS Card Reference). SKE41633.
<4> Ian Anderson, Arch Cant 1986, 1986, Military Road, Canterbury (Article in serial). SKE29314.
<5> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.
Sources and further reading
| Cross-ref.
| Source description | | <1> | OS Card Reference: Arch of Cant 8 1987 photo plan 25-31 Fig (SS Frere P Bennett J Rady and S Stow). |
| <2> | OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 7 1868 plan 158-206 (R Willis). |
| <3> | OS Card Reference: English Heritage SAMs Kent 1987 5. |
| <4> | Article in serial: Ian Anderson, Arch Cant 1986. 1986. Military Road, Canterbury. Arch Cant 103, 1986, pp. 204-205. |
| <5>XY | Scheduling record: English Heritage. Register of Scheduled Monuments. [Mapped feature: #43397 Water works, ] |
