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Cullompton's old water supply, variously known as the Town Lake or
Watercourse, was given to the town on 6 May 1356 by the Abbot of
Bockland, whose generosity is now commemorated in Bockland Close. The
Town Lake has been a source of frequent conflict and of intermittent
attempts by the inhabitants to protect their rights. The earliest
recorded possessioning took place on 13 August 1716. Numerous
obstructions were found and their perpetrators threatened with legal
prosecution. In 1754 there was another possessioning. As a result a
committee was set up to deal with problems and John Andrews was
appointed Water Bailiff. A further possessioning also took place
on 7 June 1802 and, as usual, disclosed a number of abuses. On 9 June a
meeting of the inhabitants of the town set up the Collumpton
Watercourse Company to protect the interests of the town and prosecute
offenders. The Company's minute book records it activities up to the 19
October 1878. The Company started issuing notices to make the
town clean and tidy. Meetings were held from time to time in the
following years, but the situation apparently became serious in 1829.
On 20 August of that year 200 circulars were sent out by W.T in Church
Street. They set out a translation of the original deed of grant of the
watercourse, pointed out its importance for the comfort and cleanliness
of the inhabitants and particularly in case of fire, and suggested that
a suitable person should be appointed to keep an eye on everything. A
view and possessioning on Monday 30 May 1831 revealed the normal
catalogue of obstructions and diversions. In 1831 William Upcott began
constructing a reservoir in the Parlour Field above the new Wash House
at Shortlands and thereby started a conflict between the Upcotts and
the town that was to last for more than half a century. The next
possessioning took place on 3 August 1835. The procession assembled
near the White Hart at one o'clock and proceeded in an orderly manner
up the stream to the Spring Head, where a Hogshead of very prime cider
and cakes was 'furnished by the party'. On 2 October 1835 the
Collumpton Water Course Club was formed to raise money by subscriptions
and donations 'to maintain inviolate the rights and privileges of the
Inhabitants of Collumpton to their Water Course for themselves and
their posterity'. Further meetings were held at the Three Mariners on
14 August 1838 (summoned by the Town Crier), and at the Dolphin on 10
August 1840 and 15 June 1842. It was resolved to hold another
possessioning of the Town Lake but there is no evidence that this ever
actually took place. The next possessioning took place on 3
August 1847 when over 100 people took part. There were cider and cakes
for refreshments. Another obstruction on Mr Upcott's land was broken by
the procession. The next public meeting was held on 21 July 1849 when Henry Facey, the Water Bailiff was paid ?2 for cleaning the Water Course. Further
possessionings took place on 28 July 1858 and 18 August 1862. The last
possessioning (up until modern times) took place on 12 August 1887.
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