Welcome to Butlocks Heath Reservoir

Priors Hill Copse: Is located at the north of Butlocks Heath and the south of Old Netley, within Hound Parish and can be accessed via The Grove in Butlocks Heath. Priors Hill Copse is designated as an ancient semi-natural woodland and a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation. (SINC)

Hound Parish Council owns 3.88 hectares of the Copse, the remainder being shared by private owners and the Castle Angling Club, which owns the section including the Reservoir. 

The site of the reservoir would have originally formed part of the Chamberlayne Estate and was probably acquired by the Army, as part of a package for the 200 acre site of the hospital.

The Reservoir: Now privately owned by Castle Angling Club, can be viewed from the public footpath, running along the dam wall. During the Summer, several species of dragon fly and damselfly can be seen skimming over the water and the lilies. Many waterfowl visit the peaceful haven and Kingfishers can often be sighted.

The reservoir was dug circa: 1870 for the new Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley which was opened in 1863. Although it is 1.5 miles from the hospital, its purpose was to supply the ablution water and water for the laundry.

The source of water can be traced back up to Old Netley and may ouse from an underground spring. 

Drinking water was obtained within the hospital from 3 artesian wells, one in each wing and one in the laundry. 

Monk: Water would have been taken from the reservoir via a structure called a Monk. This is a device that allows the control of water to be used. The reservoir Monk is a brick built chimney stack with an opening at the top.

‘The monk is very much like the sluice, but it is not built into the pond wall the way the sluice is. Sometimes the back of the monk does touch the wall, but it is not built into the wall. Also, a monk is never used at the inlet as a sluice can be. A monk-type drainage system controls the level of water and prevents fish from escaping when the pond is being filled. It also allows for good drainage of the pond. The monk itself is a structure which is closed on three sides and open in the front. The open side should face the inside of the pond and should be at least 30cm wide; the entire monk should be at least 40cm above the surface of the water.’

http://autonopedia.org/garden_and_farm/Livestock/4_Fish_Pond_Construction.html

It has been altered during the ownership of the Castle Angling Club for Health & Safety reasons. I am told that there is a mechanical valve device inside the chimney which was linked to an apparatus outside. 

It is said that the reservoir was originally about 12 feet deep but that this may now be silted up to 6 feet. 

Pictures of the Monk

If you have any similar photographs of the reservoir would you please contact me via the 'Contact Us' webpage.

Miller’s Pond, Sholing was originally considered to supply the water, for during the 1800s it was quite a large pond with a Brickworks nearby. It was later decided to be impractical due to its 3 mile distance from the hospital.