Warren Farm Well

Ar Woodingdean, Brighton

1934 'An Historic Well.
In their endeavours to counteract the effects of the present drought water authorities are, quite rightly, examining every possible source of supply, so as to alleviate the conditions of shortage in their areas. To obtain that supply it may, in certain places, be necessary to sink deep wells, though that operation will be easier and quicker than it was some years ago, even if it is not cheaper. This point may be illustrated by referring to the historic Warren Farm Well at Rottingdean, Sussex, which was sunk some seventy years ago to provide water for the neighbouring industrial schools. Though it is no longer in use, this well is still full of pure soft water, and might therefore be drawn upon by Brighton in case of need. The original contract for sinking the well was let to Mr. Samuel North, the arrangement being for a shaft 6 ft. in diameter and 400 ft. deep, at which level it was confidently anticipated an ample supply of water would be found.
Work was begun on March 25, 1858, and when a depth of 352 ft. was reached a bed of flints was encountered which was only slightly water-bearing. At a depth of 418 ft. 3 in. the yield was no better, and a lateral heading was therefore driven and a second vertical shaft 4 ft. in diameter sunk from this point. Excavation was, of course, entirely by hand, the spoil being drawn out by manual winches to the bottom of the main shaft. These winches were worked from recesses cut in the sides of the shaft so as to protect the men from water and falling material. Candles and oil were used for lighting, and air was delivered from a compressor driven from a steam engine, which also operated the winch for drawing the spoil out of the main shaft. Sinking was carried out continuously during the twenty-four hours, three shifts of four men being employed, though only one man could work at the bottom of the shaft at a time. On March 6, 1862, nearly four years after the start, green sand was encountered at a depth of 1,280 ft. and water begun to rise rapidly in the shaft, until by April 10 it had reached a level of 945 ft. from the bottom or 340 ft. below the ground, which is 60 ft. above sea level at Rottingdean. On this date the well contained 100,000 gallons of water, which on analysis was found to have a specific gravity only very little in excess of that of distilled water. The total depth of the well is 1,285 ft., of which 418 ft. is in chalk with flints, 328 ft. in chalk without flints, 155 ft. in grey marl, 173 ft. in blue marl, 10 ft. in firestone, 282 ft. in gault, 25 ft. in gault with green earth, 5 ft. in brown clay, and 5 ft. in green sand. Red sand was just showing when water broke through.
The total cost was 6,583l., including superintendence, labour, plant, and material. We have to thank Mr. Magnus Volk, the proprietor of the historic Volk's electric railway, for the information contained in this note. Mr. Volk is the grandson of Mr. George Maynard, the surveyor under whose supervision the work was carried out, and often inspected the progress of the sinking.'

Despite the massive effort and expense, the well was used for just four years, after which it was abandoned in favour of a more practical mains supply.

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