Royal Pump Room, Harrogate
Encyclopedia
The Royal Pump Room is a museum
and former spa water
pump, located in the town of Harrogate
, North Yorkshire
, England
.
who discovered Tewit Well
, the dates varies between 1576 and 1620. Born in Scriven
in 1562, he did not return from the continent until 1594, so the most likely dates seem to be from 1596 onwards. John’s Well or the Sweet Spaw was discovered in 1631 by Dr. Michael Stanhope of York.
The Royal Pump Room sits atop the Old Sulphur Wells in Low Harrogate, which as the highest concentrate of sulphur water wells in all of Europe
did not need to be "discovered" due to their smell. One of the earliest set of wells in commercial operation in Harrogate, the others were in Bilton Park and Harlow Car.
As a result, the popularity of sampling the waters and hence visiting Harrogate soared: 1842 it had 3778 drinkers; in 1867 it was 11,626; in 1925 it was 259,000. Promoted as having healing qualities to cure anything from gout
to lumbago, visitors included Tsar
Nicholas II of Russia
, and the novelist Charles Dickens
, who described Harrogate as: "The queerest place with the strangest people leading the oddest lives!"
, and was subsequently decommissioned after the cessation of hostilities. Renovated as a museum and opened in 1953, today owned and operated by Harrogate Borough Council as a museum, it is still possible to sample the waters inside, and at a free pump outside.
The museum tells the story of Harrogate as a spa, with the programme of temporary exhibitions drawn from a collection of 20,000 items in the council-owned reserve collection. Mostly given by generous benefactors from the 1850's onwards, they range from ancient Egyptian artifacts to items from the 1960's. There is also a supervised children activity area, that includes colouring sheets, trails and quizzes.
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
and former spa water
Spa water
Spa water may refer to:*Spring *Bottled mineral water from a the springs of a day spa or destination spa*Water in a whirlpool bath...
pump, located in the town of Harrogate
Harrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Background
Debate continues to this day over whom and when the waters of Harrogate were discovered. Generally believed to be Sir William SlingsbyWilliam Slingsby
Sir William Slingsby , was an English soldier, who is noted as the discoverer of the first spa water well in Harrogate, North Yorkshire....
who discovered Tewit Well
Tewit Well
Tewit Well is a spa water well, the first chalybeate source discovered in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England.After marrying Elizabeth Broad, in 1582 William Slingsby took his new wife on a Grand Tour of Europe, returning in 1594. In 1596, Slingsby discovered that water from Stray common in...
, the dates varies between 1576 and 1620. Born in Scriven
Scriven
Scriven is a surname, and may refer to:* Aubrey Scriven* Henry William Scriven* Joseph M. Scriven* Margaret Scriven* Michael Scriven* Paul Scriven* Peter Scriven...
in 1562, he did not return from the continent until 1594, so the most likely dates seem to be from 1596 onwards. John’s Well or the Sweet Spaw was discovered in 1631 by Dr. Michael Stanhope of York.
The Royal Pump Room sits atop the Old Sulphur Wells in Low Harrogate, which as the highest concentrate of sulphur water wells in all of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
did not need to be "discovered" due to their smell. One of the earliest set of wells in commercial operation in Harrogate, the others were in Bilton Park and Harlow Car.
Health spa
The number of wells and springs for medicinal use was small until the mid-Victorian age. In 1864 there were 16 distinct wells, but by 1886 there were 30, with most of the sulphur water pumped to supply the Victoria Baths. Only two springs were used for drinking: the Hospital Strong Sulphur Well, and the Magnesia Spring, over which the Improvement Commissioners later built a pump room in 1858.New building: 1842
The Royal Pump Room sits over the Old Sulphur Well, with the current building designed by Isaac Shutt. Finished in 1842, it was the first project of the newly formed Improvement Commissioners, whose aim was to provide a suitable building to house the sulphur well. The previous cover of the well was removed to Tewit Well, where it still stands today.As a result, the popularity of sampling the waters and hence visiting Harrogate soared: 1842 it had 3778 drinkers; in 1867 it was 11,626; in 1925 it was 259,000. Promoted as having healing qualities to cure anything from gout
Gout
Gout is a medical condition usually characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis—a red, tender, hot, swollen joint. The metatarsal-phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe is the most commonly affected . However, it may also present as tophi, kidney stones, or urate...
to lumbago, visitors included Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
, and the novelist Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
, who described Harrogate as: "The queerest place with the strangest people leading the oddest lives!"
Present day: museum
The pump room was purposefully stopped at the start of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and was subsequently decommissioned after the cessation of hostilities. Renovated as a museum and opened in 1953, today owned and operated by Harrogate Borough Council as a museum, it is still possible to sample the waters inside, and at a free pump outside.
The museum tells the story of Harrogate as a spa, with the programme of temporary exhibitions drawn from a collection of 20,000 items in the council-owned reserve collection. Mostly given by generous benefactors from the 1850's onwards, they range from ancient Egyptian artifacts to items from the 1960's. There is also a supervised children activity area, that includes colouring sheets, trails and quizzes.
External links
- Royal Pump Room at Harrogate Borough Council