Memories of the Dam

Long standing residents of Wellow have fond childhood memories of the dam, and some of these are reproduced here;

From about 50 years ago, from Margaret Lees; I remember when the dam was really thickly frozen over, and most of us children would head down to play games on the ice, slide, and pretend to skate. I can't remember any of us having proper ice skates. My dog, Rover, always came with me, but after trying to join me on the slippery ice, used to sit patiently at the side waiting for me. Sledges were taken onto the dam, but when this became a bit dodgy, Beech Hill was quite a good sledging venue, but you were so quickly down, and seemed to spend more time running back up to the top. Gypsies always came to the bottom green, making a camp site near the dam. They had very colourful Caravans, drawn by horses, and the interiors and cooking utensils always seemed to shine. The horses were also well looked after. The Gypsy women used to come around the Village selling clothes pegs, lace, etc., and it was known that if you did not buy anything from them, they would issue curses, a little frightening sometimes. At this time one or two farmers still took their animals onto the green to graze under their Toftholders rights. Mr Fred Dickinson had his cows on the green, and Albert Riley, who lived at the shop on the Green used to look after them (known as tenting) when he came home from school. I suppose they would perhaps drink from the dam. Another thing about the dam that I heard from some of my older relations, was how proud cricketers were if they had knocked a ball into the dam. My Uncle Edwin played for Eakring, and was so proud when playing against Wellow, of knocking the ball into the Dam. My Uncle Tom was proud of doing the same thing. I know of quite a few more people did this some years later, one being John Hunt, son of Ray Hunt, and Stuart Morris, son of Ted Morris. I have been told stories about the Ducking Stone at the Dam, which was for punishing wrongdoers, primarily, it is told, for ducking gossips. Also on the Maypole Green there were Village stocks which were used to deal with wrongdoers. A lot of children fished in the Dam and had a good time, but with all the farm animals to help with, and all the games we played up in the village, I did not go fishing."