Summary
Runnels, created between 1794 and 1815, extended southwards by 1832, which are formed of shaped blocks laid crossways, and narrow long kerbstones set above at the sides to contain the water flow. The runnels continue along both sides of the road from a point opposite Brook House, 10 Trumpington Street, northwards on both sides of the road to the point where Trumpington Street is joined by Mill Lane on the west side, and Pembroke Street on the east. Water is permitted to run freely along them between April and October.
Reasons for Designation
The Trumpington Street runnels of Hobson's Conduit are designated at Grade ll for the following principal reasons:
History
Hobson's Conduit was installed following a Deed of 1610 to conduct water from Nine Wells in order to scour and cleanse the King's Ditch and to do the same for colleges. There is no evidence that it was initially intended to supply drinking water, although it subsequently was used for this purpose and to supply water for various ornamental and practical purposes to Christ's, Emmanuel, Pembroke and Peterhouse Colleges and the Old Botanic Garden.
Details
The conduit head originally stood on Market Hill but was re-erected in its present location on the corner of Lensfield Road and Trumpington Street, in 1856. There were four channels from the conduit head, three of which existed in the C17. One channel continued east along what is now Lensfield Road and St Andrews Street, its open watercourse clearly visible in Horraden's map of 1810. A second flowed north eastwards to the fountain in the Market Place although this was cut off near Downing Street in 1970 when the Lion Yard was redeveloped. A third flowed in the open behind the first three houses in Trumpington Street, ran through a brick culvert behind Cromwell Lodge and then emerged in the open at Addenbrookes (a stretch abandoned c. 1905) before being piped under the pavement of Trumpington Street. All these channels, with the exception of a small section in St Andrew's Street, are now piped or run in culverts with no evidence above ground except for manhole covers and plates.
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