Pond Farm Camp, Salisbury Plain: Observation towers? Water tanks?

[Moonraker]

I've long been intrigued by two tower-like structures that appear on the hillside above Pond Farm camping-site on Salisbury Plain. This was much used in the early 20th century for summer camps, often by mounted units. It was last used in the winter of 1914-15 by Canadian troops. I can't spot anything likely on the Ordnance Survey 6-inch map, 1899 revision, published 1901, though it does show rifle and artillery ranges nearby. The 1922 revision, published  1926, suggests that the artillery ranges had greatly expanded, with a number of splinter-proof shelters, "tanks" (holding water), and "Urchfont Tower" (presumably an observation post) on and close to where the camping-site was.

Recently I came across an image of civilians visiting the prewar camp that gave a closer view of the structures:

I now reckon they are observation posts. Any thoughts, please?

[Moonraker]

Happily I've come up with the answer to my own question. They are indeed observation towers - they are marked as such to the left of "27".

[Moonraker]

I've just acquired another card of Pond Farm Camp, just because it showed a slightly better image of the observation towers:

Though looking at the structures now, they don't look very practical, with just one small window - unless the observers were positioned on the roofs?

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, Moonraker said:

I've just acquired another card of Pond Farm Camp, just because it showed a slightly better image of the observation towers:

Though looking at the structures now, they don't look very practical, with just one small window - unless the observers were positioned on the roofs?

I suspect that they were on the roofs as you say, unless there are observation slits running horizontally along the top edge.  There’s a drainage pipe to allow for run off.  They look like the bottom was perhaps brick containing windows, but with a cast iron panelled top in three rows of hectagonally arranged plates.  To be honest they look to me more like water tanks on top of brick bases.

I went and walked over the pond farm itself a few times and found bricks and what little was left of the farm buildings, but never got as far as the camp site and old water tower.  For a 8-year period I was out on the periphery of the impact area at least 3-days a week and usually entered through the Lavington, or Redhorn Vedettes when up near that area, so I got to know it quite well.  Stunning in summer, but painfully exposed in winter.

Edited 27 February by FROGSMILE

[Moonraker]

Thanks as ever, Frogsmile, I'm inclining towards the structures being water towers, as suggested in this OS 6-inch map surveyed in 1922 (by when Pond Farm camping-site was disused). I note twin structures marked as "tanks" close to the old Devizes-Salisbury road, other "tanks", "bathing tanks (disused)" - and "Urchfont Tower" and "Telephone House" - all quite intriguing!

The 25in map of the 1922 survey gives a clearer impression.

Last night I emailed the curator of Market Lavington Museum whose blog has some excellent information  on the ranges and a modernish photo of where Pond Farm was. (Enter "Pond Farm" in the search box.)

Last September I walked close to the area we're discussing when the ranges were open, keeping to the rights-of-way, and wondered about the curious construction of the modern observation towers, which had an extra storey above the windows - perhaps modern water tanks, not that I saw any pipework.

[Fovant]

They look like water towers, and if the camp was used by mounted units the horses would need far more water than the troopers. There is also a pumping station marked on the map, which may have been used to keep them topped up.

I would imagine that the local farms would have used wells. I was brought up on a farm in Sutton Mandeville which still used a well for its water supply in the 1960s. My great grandfather was a dowser who constructed agricultural windmills in the Romsey area in the 19th century.

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, Fovant said:

They look like water towers, and if the camp was used by mounted units the horses would need far more water than the troopers. There is also a pumping station marked on the map, which may have been used to keep them topped up.

I would imagine that the local farms would have used wells. I was brought up on a farm in Sutton Mandeville which still used a well for its water supply in the 1960s. My great grandfather was a dowser who constructed agricultural windmills in the Romsey area in the 19th century.

Yes pond farm had a well just as you suggest and I found it when wandering the ruins.  It had a concrete cover put there by the MOD that had been partially displaced.  I concur with your comments about the pumping station.  Presumably the water towers worked (dispensed water) by a gravity feed system.  Whether that was connected to the nearby camp’s water pump, or an inner mechanism drawing water from aquifers beneath, I do not know.  There was no trace of the towers that I could see so their demolition must have been thorough. 

Edited 28 February by FROGSMILE

[Moonraker]

Thanks for your comments. I attach a plan of the 1908 camp,  showing bathing and foot ponds, "civilians trough", and cavalry lines. The water towers would have been on the extreme right. The crop with which I started this thread shows the other side of the towers to the one in my later crop. The latter came from a "sharp" photo, whereas the former provides only a blurred impression, despite the photographer being closer to the towers.

[AlexMac]

With regard to the pumping station, I am wondering if this is the same one which is still standing, a concrete bunker half buried in the hillside? The position relative to the track running near it is as I recall it. Its construction seemed post Great War, lots of substantial concrete and RSJs supporting a concrete flat roof, but may be in the same location but since improved. I remember coming across it once in 1970s while out wandering as a kid (we knew when the impact zone was active or not), an eery place.

Edited 25 April by AlexMac
Addition of point