Tunstall pond from the churchyard

Image: © Penny Mayes Taken: 12 May 2005

Curiously shaped pond beside the road in Tunstall. The brick wall is a fairly recent addition, presumably for safety reasons. I think the pond existed for tightening cart wheels. The house is Hales House, originally built for the Hales family in 1630 - Tunstall House is also associated with the family who have a tomb in the church. My thanks to Stephen Lynas for the following extra information: 'The pond was universally known as "Coffin Pond" when I was a child (1950s/60s). It has a slope into it at the church end - giving credibility to the cartwheel theory - but was otherwise walled off from the road. There always was a brick wall (of old bricks like Hales House), and it made the pond a perfect coffin shape. But somewhere around 1968 someone (not me, but I was told who it was...) drove into the wall and it was demolished. I think in the 70s rather nasty concrete posts and wire were put up. This present wall is therefore relatively new and unfortunately the pond shape has been smoothed out so it no longer resembles a coffin. But it looks much better now than after the original wall was demolished.'

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