Washing Pool (Sheep Dip)

Although not strictly a building, the early C19th Washing Pool is a well known feature in the village near the Brewers Arms.

Below are three photos taken in May 2017 by Nick Hanks andthe  uploaded on Historic England website. He also noted in the Martinstown Waste Watch Group information dated 2004 : The sheep dip was used each day in May by flocks from the village farms prior to shearing. It was last used in the 1960's

The Listing is also shown below

Margaret Hearing in her The book of Martinstown  (p11) notes the possibility of another sheep washpool including a long run to prevent sheep being able to turn around surviving to the east of the village by the cricket field.  

From the information board at the site, there is following information :

The washing pool was needed to wash sheep prior to shearing  so that their clean fleeces would fetch higher prices. There are not many washing pools surviving hence the pool being a Listed Building.

Flocks were brought from the surrounding areas as far away as Upwey. The flocks were held in temporary hurdle pens and allow to cool down after their journey before being led into the pool via a narrow race encouraged by a tethered decoy sheep. They were pushed into the pool six at a time and moved around and pushed under the water to ensure that the whole fleece got washed.

Specially shaped crooks were used to keep the sheep afloat when their fleeces were wet and heavy. They were then guided up the steps and onto the village green to dry off. The water got pretty dirty so every so often the top hatch was opened to let the dirty water out and fresh water in.