238 ADDITIONAL NOTES ON TREE-TRUNK WATER-PIPES.
and across the bridge over the Tyne to Gateshead. "The
length of this pipe was 5,430 yards, and it is said was purchased
by Yarnold from a broken-up work in London, probably that of
Peter Morrys, whose water-wheels in the arches of London
Bridge were now becoming eclipsed by the bolder and more
comprehensive schemes of Sir Hugh Mydelton."6
It seems most probable that the "broken-up work in
London" was either that of the company formed in 1594
for supplying the western part of the City (Hydraulia p. 30), or
that of the company formed in 1691 (Hydraulia p. 33) for
supplying a part of Westminster. Both of these companies soon
got into difficulties, while the London Bridge Works, as we
have seen, were in full vigour at the beginning of the 19th
century.
Mr. Heslop also tells me that :—
" In later times these elm tree pipes were made by the Incorporated Company
of House Carpenters 'anciently called Wrights,' and the augers used in pipe-
boring were preserved on the walls of their Meeting House in Newcastle until
as late as about the year 1847."
I have already mentioned the great difficulty of foreseeing
where information about wooden water-pipes may be
obtained, or which persons are likely to possess any. Very
recently it occurred to me that Mr. E. Woodall, of Oswestry,
Shropshire, chief proprietor and editor of the Oswestry and
Border Counties' Advertiser, was, of all men, perhaps the most
likely to have noted their presence. For a special feature of his
newspaper is a column devoted to "Bye-Gones," for which
contributions are invited upon the Antiquities, Ancient Records,
Old Customs, &c., &c., of Wales and the Border Counties.
Yet, Mr. Woodall kindly informs me, in a letter dated October 1st,
1903, that nothing about tree-trunk water-pipes has appeared
in "Bye-Gones," and that having looked through the index
of Archaeologia Cambrensis he finds no mention of them there.
He has also no recollection of the discovery of any in the
Border Counties. It would be difficult to mention anything
which could more fully justify the collection of what is known
about Tree-Trunk Water-Pipes.
6 Mr. Heslop tells me that he had the advantage of being able to search the
Library of Mr. R. Welford, author of a History of Newcastle, for information on this
subject, but could find only that given in Main's pamphlet.