Be not weary in well doing
Be not weary in well doing
A tale of how Holy Ganges water from Benares, believed to cleanse the soul of all sins was ceremoniously mixed with water from Stoke Row, perhaps making Chilterns water the most holy outside of India.
Described on TripAdvisor as ‘fresh as paint’ I was interested to learn why a 19th century Maharaja felt compelled to make such an extraordinary gesture to ensure a free, clean water supply to a small Chilterns community.
Hang on, shouldn’t that be the other way around? Wasn’t Britain usually the one dispensing largesse to the less fortunate in far-flung colonies?
A lasting friendship
You will find Stoke Row near Henley-on-Thames, situated in a cluster of remote villages that include Ibsden, Nuffield and Nettlebed. It’s quite hard to find, along deep gloomy woodland lanes, around tight corners, and suddenly you will be in the village.
The story of Maharaja’s Well began in 1850 with a conversation between a Maharaja and the son of an English country squire from Ibsden.
Edward Anderson Reade (1807 - 1886) was posted by the East Indian Company to the North West Province where he was Lieutenant Governor. He formed a lasting friendship with Maharaja Bahadur Sri Sir Ishwari Prasad Narayan Singh (1822 – 1889), the Maharaja of Benares, now Varanasi, one of the oldest living cities in the world situated in the northern India state of Uttar Pradesh.
After the disintegration of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century, the family ruled Benares as tributaries of the Nawab of Awadh and the East India Company until in 1911, Benares became a full-fledged princely state of British India, and the Narayan dynasty ruled it as British vassals until they acceded to independent India in 1948.
A shared story
The two men shared childhood stories of their respective homelands, Reade saying how Benares reminded him of the Chilterns landscape, village life and the lack of clean drinking water which meant they relied on dirty ponds and clay pits during the hot summers. This story influenced the Maharajah’s decision to fund a new well, far away in a country he never visited, but had a huge impact on his life, his community and country.
It must have been that childhood tale of dried up village ponds, hardship and a child beaten for stealing a drink of water, that sealed the deal.
A deal sealed
In 1831, Edward Reade had a well sunk for a community in Azimgurgh, alongside a new mango grove and in 1863, the Stoke Row well was sunk for around £40,000 in today’s money. It was completed in 1864, including the gold elephant and topped off with a grand Anglo-Indian canopy based on a pavilion at the palace in Ramnagar.
The shaft plunges through clay, gravel, sand, chalk sand, more chalk and finally chalk and shells before reaching the sweet water, a mere 368 feet deep - twice the height of Nelson’s column. Drawing water must have been quite a chore as it took 10 minutes for the pulley to reach the bottom and another ten minutes to reach the surface. I expect they all formed a neat and orderly queue and exchanged village news too.
Following Indian custom, the adjoining land was included in the gift and an ‘Ishree Bagh’ was planted with 101 cherry trees. Named by Reade after the Maharaja’s Ishree Pershad. Bagh meaning garden.
In a neat space between the orchard and well, is the tiny brick cottage with an unfeasibly tall chimney, and former home of the well keeper. Dwarfed by the ornate dome, a foresight as it’s visible from afar - and nod to the Maharajah who would never see his gift, but wanting it visible all the same. Beneath the Burgundy Mughal dome, a golden elephant sits atop the shiny machinery designed and built by local agricultural engineers, Wilder of Wallingford 1863.
Holy water
Over time the connection to India was lost until in 1961, Queen Elizabeth visited Benares, the occasion marked with a gift of a marble model of the well. Prince Philip was subsequently invited to visit Stoke Row and he did so, accompanied by representatives of the then Maharaja, who brought with them a vessel containing Holy Ganges water from Benares, believed to cleanse the soul of all sins. There was a ceremonial mixing of the waters – perhaps making the Maharaja’s Well’s water the most holy outside of India!
What an extraordinary story, one of my favourites! A former colony dispensing largesse to those in need, those less fortunate. But in this case, those who where in need where the masters, the mighty British Empire. Oh, the irony!
‘Be Not Weary in Well Doing” was fittingly inscribed onto Edward’s gravestone in the nearby Ibsden cemetery.
All images are copyright of Mary Tebje and can only be used with permission.
Links you may need
Find out more about the Maharajah’s Well Trust and the work they do to keep this unique place maintained and open.
Here are a number of walks of varying length that pass through Stoke Row.
While you are there support Stoke Row store who have a good line in refreshments.