ninesprings
ninesprings
Once the ornamental park of the Aldon estate
Now part of Yeovil Country Park, Ninesprings is, essentially, a broad-leaved woodland valley of some twenty acres on the south east edge of Yeovil with nine springs supplying water to small streams and ponds. The water issues into Dodham Brook and, ultimately, to the River Yeo.
In 1856 Vickery wrote "John Batten, Esq, and at Nine Springs, the property of the same gentleman. These springs afford a large supply of water, from two to three hogsheads a minute at least, and were they at an elevation sufficient to supply the town, they would be of great value."
It was developed as an ornamental park for the Aldon estate during the early nineteenth century (although its ownership was brought into question - see Yeovil Charities Scandal) and included walks, bridges, grottoes, springs and lakes. Until the middle of the twentieth century the public only had access by ticket obtainable from the owner, Colonel HB Batten, the Town Clerk.
From the
diary of
Louisa
Harris .... "30 July 1906: We our and Lucy went to Nine Springs this afternoon and had tea at the cottage in the woods. We enjoyed our outing very much. It was so cool and pleasant in the woods, listening to the sound of the water. Tea was spread in a picturesque rustic porch looking down on a still pool bordered by woods, magnificent ferns and all manner of beautiful growths."
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The once picturesque thatched cottage that appears in so many photographs of Ninesprings once served cream teas. The cottage suffered neglect during the Second World War and was allowed to quietly fall into ruin. It was finally demolished in 1973, although the foundations are still visible. As a small child my wife's ex-mother in law, with her family, was the last person to live in the cottage.
Ninesprings was acquired by the District Council (I think in the 1970s) and now, having been restored, has been incorporated into the 127-acre Yeovil Country Park.
gallery
From my
collection
This is a stereoscopic photograph of the Ninesprings cottage, photographed in 1867 by Frederick Treble and is probably the earliest of any images of Ninesprings. It measures 7" x 3½" (175mm x 85mm) and is mounted on thick card stock.
This is the front and back of a carte de visite, or CDV, produced by Ebenezer Whitby, of the cottage at Ninesprings. The writing on the back says "EB from GSS in remembrance of a walk to Nine Springs. Oct 7th 1876". Much smaller than later cabinet cards, this CDV is 2½" x 4" (65mm x 100mm).
This photograph was taken by Yeovil Photographer Jarratt Beckett and published in his 1897 book "Somerset viewed through a Camera".
From my
collection.
This
image
features in my
book 'Yeovil
- The Postcard
Collection'.
Looking across to Yeovil from Ninesprings in the 1920s.
Courtesy of
Betty Barber
(née Bird)
A 1950's postcard of the approach to Ninesprings with Dodham Brook and its small weir at centre and the Yeovil to Taunton railway line at right.
From my
collection.
This
image
features in my
book 'Yeovil
- The Postcard
Collection'.
This postcard, dated 1936, shows the rustic bridge crossing the stream at the lower end of the Ninesprings valley.
Courtesy of Jack
Sweet
Standing on another rustic bridge, photographed about 1910.
From my
collection
An early postcard showing one of the first of the man-made lakes in the valley.
From my
collection
This early postcard shows the approach to one of the cascades beside the path about half-way up the Ninesprings valley.
From my
collection
-
This photograph
features in my
book 'Yeovil
From Old
Photographs'
Postmarked 1900, this postcard gives a closer view of the cascade and steps.
From my
collection
The cascade itself.
From my
collection
One of the man-made lakes in the upper valley featuring a fountain - who knew?
From my
collection
Without doubt one of Harry Thomas Balls' first postcards - this one of Ninesprings Cottage was posted in 1903, just after he had set himself up in business in Yeovil.
From my
collection
A picturesque hand-coloured postcard of 1905 shows the approach to the cottage.
From my
collection.
This
image
features in my
book 'Yeovil
- The Postcard
Collection'.
This postcard of 1904 is unusual in that it shows the Batten family at lower left who owned Ninesprings and the cottage at the time.
From my
collection
An enlargement of the previous postcard of 1904 showing the Batten family.
From my
collection.
This
image
features in my
book 'Yeovil
- The Postcard
Collection'.
A hand-coloured postcard by William Beale Collins of the cottage at Ninesprings. This card was posted in 1904.
From my
collection
A 'chocolate box' image of the cottage in a postcard of 1906.
From my
collection.
This
image
features in my
book 'Yeovil
- The Postcard
Collection'.
Ninesprings and the cottage photographed during the 'Great Snow' of 1909.
From my
collection
Another 'chocolate box' image of the cottage in a postcard of 1910.
From my
collection
The cottage on a 1914 postcard, one of the Aplin & Barrett "Everything St Ivel is Perfect" publicity campaign.
From my
collection
-
The
original of this photograph
features in my
book 'Yeovil
From Old
Photographs'
A colourised postcard showing an unusual view of the cottage. The card was posted in 1924.
A postcard, probably from the 1920s, of the "Old Drive to Nine Springs".
From my
collection.
This
image
features in my
book 'Yeovil
- The Postcard
Collection'.
A postcard of about 1939 shows a different view of the cottage in the period shortly before it fell into decline.
From my
collection
.... and a similar view taken at a similar date.
From my
collection.
This
image
features in my
book 'Yeovil
- The Postcard
Collection'.
An unusual view of the rear of the cottage in this postcard of 1931.
Courtesy of Viv
Cafferkey
Ninesprings Cottage photographed in its later years.
Courtesy of Dave
Greene
The cottage photographed around 1960.
Courtesy of Dave
Greene
The cottage seen from a little further up the valley. Photographed around 1960.
Courtesy of Jack
Sweet and South
Somerset
District Council
This is a photograph of around 1990 of Aldon Lodge, Dorchester Road, with the model of the Ninesprings Cottage in its garden.
Courtesy of
Raymond Blanche
An early 1970's view across the lakes towards New Walk Cottage.
A cascade, photographed from the stream-side walkway, in 2013.
A man-made lake, photographed in 2013.
A nineteenth century grotto housing one of the nine springs, photographed in 2013.
The stream towards the head of the valley, photographed in 2013.
A nineteenth century cascade built around another of the nine springs.