THE ANALYSIS OF ILKLEY SPA WATER

Abstract

Modern Ilkley occupies the site of the Brigantian stronghold of Llecan, which subsequently became the Roman station of Olicana. “Ichley Fountaine,” has been in repute for bathing for about two centuries, a small bath-house having been built in 1699* Hearne’s edition of Leland’s Itinerary contains a letter written by Dr. Richardson in 1709 stating, “Ilkley … chiefly famous for a cold well, which has done very remarkable cures in scrofulous cases by bathing, and in drinking of it.” In 1734 Dr. Short wrote, “Ichley Spaw springs out of the middle of a mountain, a Mile high. … The Water is very clear, brisk and sparkling, has no taste, colour nor smell different from the common Water, is of the same weight. Its Basin and Course are of no other Dye than that of a common Spring. … Five pints of this Liquor exhaled left seven Grains of sediment. … Therefore, though this Water is of the greatest Esteem and Repute of any in the North of England, in the King’s Evil and other old Ulcers; yet it derives these Effects neither from its fixt nor volatile Parts, but wholly from the Coldness and Purity of the Element.”† Dr. Rutty in 1757 quotes from another treatise of Short’s specifying the virtues of the “Ichley Water.”† Dr. Adam Hunter’s examination in 1819 gave:— Temperature, of water, 48° F. Temperature in shade, 64° F. Sp. Gr. at 55° F., 1.00015. A wine gallon was found to contain:— | Muriate of Lime | … | … | 6.50 | ||