Commemorative Stone at Chadwell Spring, the Meads at TL 3497 1368

COMMEMORATIVE STONE AT CHADWELL SPRING, THE MEADS AT TL 3497 1368, NEW RIVER

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1221266
Date first listed:
13-Sept-1995
List Entry Name:
Commemorative Stone at Chadwell Spring, the Meads at TL 3497 1368
Statutory Address:
COMMEMORATIVE STONE AT CHADWELL SPRING, THE MEADS AT TL 3497 1368, NEW RIVER

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Date:
2002-06-17
Reference:
IOE01/07451/33
Rights:
© Mr A. Gude. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1221266
Date first listed:
13-Sept-1995
List Entry Name:
Commemorative Stone at Chadwell Spring, the Meads at TL 3497 1368
Statutory Address 1:
COMMEMORATIVE STONE AT CHADWELL SPRING, THE MEADS AT TL 3497 1368, NEW RIVER

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
COMMEMORATIVE STONE AT CHADWELL SPRING, THE MEADS AT TL 3497 1368, NEW RIVER

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Hertfordshire
District:
East Hertfordshire (District Authority)
Parish:
Ware
National Grid Reference:
TL 34979 13681

Details

WARE TOWN

TL3413NE NEW RIVER 829-1/11/199 (South side) Commemorative Stone at Chadwell Spring, The Meads at TL 3497 1368

II

Commemorative stone set in the ground at the head of the pool filled by the Chadwell Spring. 1728. Portland stone, with recessed inscribed panels, topped by a truncated obelisk. The principal inscriptions read `Chadwell Spring' `Opened 1608; Repair'd 1728', `conveyed 40 miles', and the upper inscription records, `This belongs to the said company 270 feet', with other distances in the remaining faces. There is also a small boundary stone of the type located along the Lea Cut (qv). The Chadwell Spring consists of a circular pool, 45m diameter, out of which a narrow channel runs north-east to join the main course of the New River. HISTORICAL NOTE: in 1738 the Chadwell Spring was supplemented by water drawn from the River Lea, a connecting cut was formed, and gauges were built to regulate the flow. The New River, constructed between 1608 and 1613 was a major civil engineering undertaking, and consisted of an open conduit, 15-20 feet wide, but of no great depth, designed to augment supply of water to London, by drawing from the Chadwell Spring between Hertford and Ware, and the Great Amwell Spring 2 km. further south-east. Hugh Myddelton, MP for Denbigh, began the work at his own expense, and enlisted the personal support of King James I to complete the 40 mile (64 km) watercourse, which led to the New River Head at Clerkenwell. The New River Company, a pioneer in venture capitalism, was formed in 1619, and continued in operation until 1904, when it was taken over by the Metropolitan Water Board, which became the Thames Water Authority in 1974. Approx 2 km of the course of the New River, and 1 km of the later connection with the Lea Navigation over the boundary in Hertford, runs through the Ware Town area. The realignment of the Ware Town boundary to extend eastwards to the A10 viaduct across The Meads brought Chadwell Spring within its area. (The Industrial Archaeology of the British Isles: Branch Johnson W: The Industrial Archaeology of Hertfordshire: Newton Abbot: 1970-: 97-101; Heath C: The Book of Ware. A Portrait of the Town: Chesham: 1977-: 56, 66, 69, 71, 104; Hunt EM: The History of Ware: Hertford: 1986-1946: 21, 37-8, 153-4; Thames Water Authority: History of the New River: London; The Victoria History of the County of Hertford: London: 1912-: 380-1; East Herts Archaeological Society Transactions: Andrews WF: Chadwell Spring: Hertford: 1901-: 7-14).

Listing NGR: TL3497913681

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
412226
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
History of the New River, (1985)
Hunt, E M, The History of Ware 1986-1946, (1986), 37-8
Hunt, E M, The History of Ware 1986-1946, (1986), 153-4
Hunt, E M, The History of Ware 1986-1946, (1986), 21
Doubleday, A, The Victoria History of the County of Hertford, (1912), 380-1
Heath, C, The Book of Ware A Portrait of the Town, (1977), 66
Heath, C, The Book of Ware A Portrait of the Town, (1977), 71
Heath, C, The Book of Ware A Portrait of the Town, (1977)
Heath, C, The Book of Ware A Portrait of the Town, (1977), 56
Branch Johnson, W, The Industrial Archaeology of Hertfordshire, (1970), 97-101
Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society in Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society, (1901), 7-14

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Commemorative Stone at Chadwell Spring, the Meads at TL 3497 1368

Map

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End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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