Bathurst Pool
By Deborah, People’s Pool Founder
Where: Lydney, Gloucestershire
The pool: 33m, unheated, seasonal
I really needed a lido swim after driving all the way from Liverpool, on five hours’ sleep, to deepest Gloucestershire. When I arrived it was cold, grey, and raining. Not too promising. And Bathurst Pool’s unheated.
But what a lovely discovery. I met Bob and Sheila Merriman, Chair and Treasurer of the Trustees. The Pool is volunteer-run, and Bob, Sheila and many other trustees and volunteers have worked tirelessly to keep it thriving, including donating materials and doing much of the building work themselves.
The Pool, which opened on 2nd October 1920, was given to the community by Charlies Bledisloe, to celebrate the 21st Birthday of his eldest son, Benjamin Ludlow Bathurst.
The original deed stipulated that in the event of a drought, Mr Thomas, of nearby Lydney Tin Works, would have priority over the water. Like so many outdoor pools, Bathurst had to battle for survival. In 1999, with a new indoor leisure centre opened nearby, the Council decided to close it. But the community wouldn’t take this lying down, and after a lively public meeting the Friends of Bathurst Pool was formed to save and develop it.
The pool itself is bigger than you’d expect in a small village – 38m x 17m – and has a little waterfall and steps in the shallow end. What makes it special – and this is where you can really sense the love that’s gone into maintaining and improving it – is what’s around the pool.
There’s a grass area with picnic benches between the pool and the painted changing cubicles, with multicoloured sail shades above. And all around the walls there are colourful murals by a local artist. Inside some of the cubicles are little paintings of fish, seaweed etc, which echo the murals – it turns out this is Bob’s creative way of blotting out graffiti.
Thanks to the grim weather, I was the only visitor, and this was the day I learned the term ‘millionaire’s swim’ – having a whole pool to yourself. It was bliss. Chilly bliss.
There’s more info, and a short history courtesy of Sheila, on the Pool’s website here.
