With timber-framed houses, roofed by thatch, lit by candles, and heated by open fires, the risk of a house-fire was an ever-present threat in medieval and Tudor towns.

Prior to the 18th century, the only means of dowsing a fire was by the use of leather buckets filled with water. Long fire-hooks were used to pull thatch off the roofs.

The Great Fire of Hungerford: In 1566, Hungerforda igne sed immodico pene perusta est -(Hungerford was almost completely destroyed by a vast conflagration). A fire started near the Queen's Mill at the northern end of the town, and it spread wildly south along the main street as far as the market place destroying many properties. For much more about this disaster, see Great Fire of Hungerford.

Fire buckets and fire-hooks continued to be used through the the 16th century, but following the Great Fire of London in 1666, serious efforts were made to improve the design and efficiency of water pumps to fight fires. There was a surge in the development of fire pumps.

The first fire-pump: Hungerford was very early in obtaining a fire pump. The first mention of a fire pump to help extinguish fires was in the Constable's Accounts of 1702, which record that £17 was paid for a "dobell fared engen for the tound yous". It seems that this 1702 pump has not survived. There are many more references to the fire pump and the ongoing work maintaining it, in the Constables Accounts.

Shortly after, in 1708, The House of Commons passed the Parish Pumpers Act ordering that every parish must keep a water pump and designated men to help extinguish fires.

By 1700 many new types had appeared. In 1712 the English inventor Richard Newsham (originally a pearl button-maker in London) came up with an effective design for a fire-fighting water pump. His pump consisted of an open trough on wheels. The trough was filled with water using buckets. Inside the trough were two pistons attached to two large handles. Pumping the handles up and down squeezed the pistons and pushed the water out of a swivelling copper spout on top of the pump. The key element of Newsham's design was a 'gimble' - a chain mechanism that allowed the pistons to remain vertical while pumping. This made the pump far more powerful than other designs. In 1720 a manual pump was constructed by Richard Newsham that could pump 110 gallons per minute in a continuous stream up to 40 yards. This formed the basis for pump design for many years to come.

The Town Pond: Hungerford High Street runs uphill from the river at its north end, and in order to make the task of fire-fighting easier, a town pond was made about two-thirds of the way up the High Street. It is described as having rails around it and some lime trees were planted in 1718, but as they failed to thrive they were replaced by firs. There are many references to its repair and maintenance in the Constables' Accounts. The pond was eventually filled up in 1805. Follow this link for much more on the town pond.

Drawing of c1598 showing fire-hooks and buckets in use

Fire hooks

Hungerford's two 18th century manual fire pumps. The pump on the right is now restored, and stands in the entrance to the Town Hall and Corn Exchange.
(This picture was developed from a glass plate found after Albert Parsons closed his photographic shop in the High Street,)

Central portion of Francis' 1794 map showing the pond in the middle of the main street

The 18th century fire pump possibly made by Samuel Phillips of Blackfriars c1760