Selly Wood Pool
Restoration 2010
By
Bob Blackham and Michael Powell
Background
Selly Wood Pool is located on Selly Wood Road, Bournville and is within the grounds of Selly Wood House Nursing Home. The pool is designated as a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation (SLINC).
The pool may or may not have been natural water feature in the rural landscape but became a garden feature of Selly Wood House in the early 20th century. Today the pools main source of water is from the roof of Selly Wood House Nursing Home with water being piped into the top concreted pool, this water then flows into a second concreted pool and then via a pipe into the main pool. Water from the roof is also piped into the main pool.
Map of Selly Wood House and Garden from the 1960s before the house was demolished, Selly Wood Pool is shown in the bottom left hand corner of the map and the two concrete pools are not shown.
Bournville Tree Wardens have been involved with Selly Wood Pool for a number of years and have in the past undertaken workdays to help maintain the pool and its associated wildlife.
Bournville Estates Department carried out a successful repair to a large crack in the low concrete pool base in 2008. This allowed more water to flow into the main lower pool.
In 2009 Dr E M Pisolkar was commissioned to survey Selly Wood Pool and the immediate surroundings and she issued a report, Selly Wood Pool, Bournville, Birmingham, Freshwater Survey 2009. The report recommended regular coppicing on the wooded sides of the pool, removal of invasive species such as horse chestnut and sycamore and removal of all trees growing within the pool. She also recorded the flora and fauna in and around the pool which can be used as a base line for any future surveys.
The work to restore the pool was carried out during August 2010 and was funded by a generous donation from the CB & HH Taylor Trust, with the balance being made up by Bournville Village Trust. A series of photographs showing areas of the pool before and after the work was carried out is attached in Appendix 1.
Selly Wood Pool Future Plans
Most if not all future monitoring of the pool can be undertaken by local Bournville Tree Wardens and Bournville Estates Department.
1Water appears to still be leaking from the top concrete pool and this leak should be repaired to ensure all the water flowing into the pool system is retained.
2Install a water level gauge in the main pool so records can be taken of the water level over a 12 month period and then discuss if any action should be taken to maintain water in the pool all year round.
3Monitor the regrowth of the vegetation around the pool in 2011 and plant native woodland plants and bulbs in the autumn of 2011 if required.
Appendix 1
Selly Wood Pool viewed from Selly Wood House side, the trees beyond the fence are growing in the pool.
Selly Wood Pool after trees were removed from the pool.
Selly Wood Pool viewed from the top end, the 2 concrete pools are hidden by the trees and bushes in the picture.
Selly Wood Pool after the trees and bushes were removed from around the 2 concrete pools and the rockery stones can now be clearly seen.
Looking down the main pool from the top end before clearing work was undertaken.
Looking down the main pool from the top end after clearing work had been completed in August 2010.