Conduit Head, Corner Of Westgate And Ludlow Road

This is a cast iron water conduit head dating from around 1900, located on the corner of Westgate and Ludlow Road in Bridgnorth. The structure is upright and circular, featuring three lion heads near the top and a domed top with gadrooning and a foliate finial. A tap is positioned on the right-hand side in the form of a dolly peg. Water was dispensed from a spout in the lion's mouth facing the street.

Bridgnorth has a long history of providing piped water to its residents, beginning in the 14th century with a wooden system created by friars. In the 18th century, unfiltered water was pumped from the River Severn to a cistern on Castle Hill, with water rented out to those who could afford it. Free spring water was then provided through conduits. Later, in 1829, an underground reservoir was built in the High Street. The town’s water provision was reviewed after a cholera outbreak in 1849, leading to a new system in 1853 using filtered water from the River Severn. A larger river abstraction works and sand filter beds were opened in 1857, which continued to supply water until the 1970s. Conduit heads like this one were constructed during several phases, including around 1871, 1900, the 1920s, and the 1930s.

The conduit head is designated at Grade II for being a well-crafted and decorative example of a street feature, surviving in an unaltered condition and as a visible symbol of a comprehensive municipal water supply.