Hobson's Conduit — Attraction in Cambridge

An update on the Hobson’s Conduit Secret Appreciation Society, found pinned to the Fountain Monument.

In 1610 one man came forth to the city with a noble vision. He brought forth ideas of clean streets and sparkling waters. And the city listened. This unmatched labour of love and service took years to complete in all its splendour breaking new ground in the city and in the history of watercourses. On inspection of the results, the city swore to forever uphold this charitable work, and preserve the watercourse into time immemorial. To this day, visitors from across the world visit the city, and stare in wonder at the engineering marvel. Little does the unsuspecting tourist know, however, of the HC SAS. The mysterious bunch, sworn in mud and blood to protect the ancient waterway, are hard to find, and harder yet to infiltrate. Rumour tells of their mysterious customs, and cult like rituals. Cambridge residents have reported stories of the brook flowing red with untraced blood at night (this could not be corroborated despite forensic study), and in far off cities, unconnected persons have been found to posses knowledge of the Conduit, though they have no first or second order link to the city. Who the people spreading this knowledge are remains unconfirmed, but what does seem to be clear is a connection between the HC SAS and the pagan rituals associated with the deity known as -redacted- This aspect of the cult has only recently come into our files. Further work must be done to ascertain the source of this connection, and the possible risks to the general public from the shady, potentially fanatical, group. A full report will be submitted as soon as data supplied by our informant has been verified. We work with hast but are aware of the risks so I thank you for your patience as we take the required caution to get to the bottom of this matter. Above all, to prevent provocation, we recommend that great care is taken to avoid disruption of the Conduit while the group remains at large. Yours, the Chief of the Waterway’s...

Hobson’s Conduit is a 17th century overground watercourse, built to bring water to the city of Cambridge. The idea to divert water into the city to improve sanitation was first raised in 1574 by Master of Peterhouse, Andrew Perne. The concept was revived by Sidney Sussex College master, James Montagu in the early 17th century and the watercourse was built between 1610 and 1614 at the expense of the University and the Town. Thomas Hobson, a postal carrier and livery stable owner, was one of several benefactors that donated to the construction of the Conduit. However, he established a trust to manage and maintain the watercourse; Hobson’s Conduit Trust still exists today. The water that fills Hobson’s conduit comes from an area called Nine Wells, chalk springs near Great Shelford. Water travels 5 kilometres down purpose-built channels and diverted brooks to the University of Cambridge Botanic Garden where it splits into four branches. The Trumpington Street branches flows in open sluices to Peterhouse and Pembroke Colleges. St Andrew’s Street branch runs to Christ’s and Emmanuel Colleges. The Parker’s Piece branch filled a cattle pond in Parker’s Piece but this was filled in in 1827. The final branch used to feed the fountain at the Market Place in the city centre. After a fire in the mid-19th century a large Gothic fountain was built to use the water, but this was taken down in 1959 and re-erected as a monument to Hobson where the Conduit heads under Lensfield Road. The Conduit has not been used for drinking water since the Cambridge Water Company was established in 1853; instead, water for the city was sourced from reservoirs in Cherry Hinton. Today, water is sourced from 24 boreholes, abstracting from chalk aquifers South and East...

In 1614, a joint enterprise of the University and the town of Cambridge brought a supply of running water into the town from springs at Great Shelford. Thomas Hobson, the carrier (1544-1630) was a benefactor of the scheme and for that reason, the watercourse became known as Hobsons Conduit.

This monument marks the end of the artificial watercourse. From this point, the water runs in culverts to re appear in runnels in Trumpington Street and St Andrews Street. Other culverts feed ponds in certain of the colleges.

From 1614 to 1856, the monument stood upon Market Hill, where it served as a fountain. In the latter year, following the provision of a piped supply of water by the Cambridge Water Company, the fountain was moved to its present site. It was extensively...