Monument record 372 - Spurstow Spa

<1> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Vol.II p.295 (Book). SCH1389.

Spurstow Spa Water, is an abundant spring, on the estate of Sir Thomas Mostyn, not far from the village of Spurstow, about three miles from Beeston Castle, two from Bunbury, and about five from Tarporley. It appears in a field forming part of the rising ground behind the Peckforton Hills. The stratum, out of which it immediately comes, is a red and white clay, which has been penetrated into, to the depth of about nine feet. There was formerly a considerable pit or hollow, at the rise of the spring, for the convenience of bathing, but through neglect it was filled up, and formed a sort of little bog, out of which the water forced its way with difficulty. About sixty or eighty years ago, this water was in considerable repute for the cure of various disorders, and was used both internally, and as a bath; and, till lately crutches and other memoranda of its cures were deposited in the farmhouse belonging to the estate.-The water, as it first rises, is not clear and pellucid as ordinary water is, hut has a slight opaque or opaline appearance, as if a few drops of milk had been mixed with it. On standing some time it deposits this cloudiness, and then appears remarkably clear and bright. If the water be suffered to remain long in contact with the air, and with vegetable matter, it exhales the smell of sulphuretted hydrogen gas, and a pellicle of sulphur is formed on its surface. Even when fresh drawn it has a slightly sulpherous taste and smell, yet possesses a faint but peculiar flavour. It is exceedingly hard, and curdles soap. With tests it gives the following appearances: with lime water a precipitate, with barytic water a copious one, with salts of silver a precipitate changing colour on exposure to a strong light, with the oxalates a very copious precipitate, with acetate of lead a precipitate of a light colour nearly permanent. These experiments, and a partial analysis, shew the ingredients contained in a gallon of the water, to be about 190 grains of dried solid matter, besides carbonic acid, and perhaps other gases. Of this solid matter about 50 grains appear to be purgative salts, containing a few grains of the muriate of lime. The remaining 140 grains are composed of sulphate and carbonate of lime, the latter constituting about 20 grains of it.--The water hitherto obtained, has not been in so pure a state as to warrant a decision upon the exact proportions of the above analysis. More numerous experiments may also detect other ingredients in the water, the presence of which it has been hitherto impossible to ascertain. These may be very small portions of the salts of allumina, of carbonate of iron, and of silicious earth; the gases appear to be in small proportion. It does not appear that any of the mineral waters now in use are similarly constituted with Spurstow Spa Water.- Letter by B Whittell to Philosophical Society of Chester 08/03/1816.

<2> Twigg G D, 1994, Salt Working In Cheshire, p.4 (Report). SCH2919.

The Bath House, Spurstow (308/1) was used as accommodation by bathers. A mineral spring with claimed medical properties which was popular in the eighteenth century. According to Ormerod not saline; sulphates of sodium and magnesium etc..

<3> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, Vol.III p.316 (Book). SCH3228.

This is a saline spring. Ormerod (see 1) reports that there used to be a bathing-pit here, but it was disused by 1816.

<4> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 365/2, 1839 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

This map depicts a rectangular water filled pit or tank at this location.

<5> Bryant, A., 1831, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2114.

Depicts and labels a bath at this location.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ5754, 1874-1875 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

This map depicts an oval pool with a small rectangular enclosure containing a structure or building c.12m to the east. Labelled Spurstow Spa (saline) Bath.