Malvern Water (bottled water)

This article is about the commercialised product. For information on the water's impact on the town of Malvern, see Malvern water.

Malvern Water Country England Source Malvern Hills Type natural spring water TDS milligrams per liter (mg/l)

Malvern Water is a brand of bottled drinking water obtained from a spring in the range of Malvern Hills that marks the border between the counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire in England.^[1] The major bottling plant is owned by the Coca-Cola Corporation and the water which is available in still and sparkling versions is marketed under the original brand of Schweppes who began bottling it on a commercial scale in 1850. It is also bottled on a smaller scale by a family-owned company since 2009 as Holywell Spring Water. The water is a natural spring water from the hills that consist of very hard granite and limestone rock. Fissures in the rock retain rain water, which slowly permeates through, escaping at the springs.^[2] The springs release an average of about 60 litres a minute. The flow depends on rainfall and can vary from as little as 36 litres (8 gallons) per minute to over 350 litres (77 gallons) per minute.^[3][4]

History

An early 20th century Malvern Water (St Ann's Well) bottle.

Malvern water has been bottled and distributed in the UK and abroad from the 16th century^[2] with water bottling at the Holy Well being recorded in 1622.^[5] Various local grocers have bottled and distributed Malvern water during the 19th and early 20th centuries, but it was first bottled on a large commercial scale by Schweppes, who opened a bottling plant at Holywell in Malvern Wells in 1850. The water was first introduced by Schweppes as Malvern Soda, later renaming it Malvern Seltzer Water in 1856.^[6][7] In 1890 Schweppes moved away from Holywell, entered into a contract with a Colwall family, and built a bottling plant in the village in 1892.^[6][8] The Holywell was subsequently leased to John and Henry Cuff, who bottled there until the 1960s.^[9][10][11] The Holywell became derelict until 2009 when with the aid of a Lottery Heritage grant, production of 1200 bottles per day of Holywell Spring Water was recommenced by an independent family-owned company.^[9] The well is believed to be the oldest bottling plant in the world.^[12]

In the 1850's Malvern Water was bottled by John and William Burrow at the Bottling Works Spring in Robson Ward's yard on Belle Vue Terrace in Great Malvern. Bottling ceased here in the 1950s and the former bottling works are now furniture showrooms. Water for the Bottling Works Spring is piped from St Ann's Well.^[13]

The Schweppes Malvern Water bottling plant in Colwall, Herefordshire.

In 1927, Schweppes acquired from the Burrows family, Pewtress Spring in Colwall, on the western side of the Herefordshire Beacon, approximately two miles from Colwall village.^[6][14] The source emerges at the fault line between the Silurian thrust and the Precambrian diorite and granite above it.^[6] The spring was renamed Primeswell Spring, and in 1929 Schweppes commenced bottling.^[8][14] The factory employed 25 people who bottled 26 million bottles annually.^[15] It was operated by Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd., and the water was sold under the Schweppes brand name.^[16]

On the 20th October 2010 Coca Cola Enterprises, who currently own the Malvern brand, announced that production would be ceasing as of the 3rd November 2010. This is due to the declining market share Malvern has on the overall water market. On the 28th October 2011 it was reported that the bottling plant is being sold to a property company.^[17]

The Holy Well, where the water was first bottled on a commercial scale. The well is believed to be the oldest bottling plant in the word.

Purity

The natural untreated water is generally devoid of all minerals, bacteria, and suspended matter, approaching the purity of distilled water. In 1987 Malvern gained official EU status as a natural mineral water, a mark of purity and quality. However, in spite of regular quality analysis,^[18] Malvern's reputation for purity suffered a blow when during 2006 the rock that filters the water dried out, allowing the water from heavy storms to flow through it too quickly for the natural filtering process to take place efficiently. Due to the slight impurities, the Coca-Cola Company, manufacturer of the Schweppes brand, had to install filtration equipment,^[19] which reclassifies the water as spring water under European Union law.^[20] Consequently,the labels were change from: Malvern The Original English Natural Mineral Water. Naturally filtered through Pre-Cambrian granite and sourced from deep beneath the Malvern Hills. to read The Original English Water Bottled in the Malvern Hills.^[21]

In 1998, Coca-Cola Schweppes recalled stocks of carbonated Malvern Water due to traces of benzene found in the carbon dioxide delivered to the bottling plants from the Terra Nitrogen factory near Bristol, which distributes the gas to carbonated drinks manufacturers.^[22]

Royalty

An early 20th century billboard for a now defunct brand of Malvern Water

Malvern Water has been drunk by several British monarchs.^[23] Queen Elizabeth I drank it in public in the 16th century; Queen Victoria refused to travel without it, and it is the only bottled water used by Queen Elizabeth II, which she takes on her travels around the world.^[24]

Bibliography

• "Burrow's Patent Racks", Year-Book of Pharmacy: 699 (n711 in electronic page field), 1871, http://www.archive.org/stream/yearbookpharmac00sonsgoog#page/n711/mode/2up/search/burrow, retrieved 14 July 2010 
• "W. & J. Burrow's Patented Inventions", Exeter Change for the British Lions: 30, 1869, http://books.google.com/books?id=eCQtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA30&dq=%22W.+%26+J.+Burrow's%22&hl=en&ei=-xE-TKD5E47JcdCY0KIB&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false, retrieved 14 July 2010 
• Thom, Adam Bissett, ed. (1877), "W. & J. Burrow's Malvern Spring Water", The Upper Ten Thousand (George Routledge & Sons): 8  retrieved 14 July 2010

Snippet 1 Snippet 2Snippet 3

• Cowie, Leonard W., & Hembry, Evelyn E (editors), ed. (1997), British Spas from 1815 to the Present: A Social History, Cranbury, New Jersey: Associated University Press, pp. 67, 100, 231, 245, ISBN 0-8386-3748-5, http://books.google.com/books?id=QvDWk4YMAR8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22british+spas%22&hl=en&ei=avM9TLWdEY6KvgPbjYHbDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false, retrieved 14 July 2010 
• "Water worker's strike sees Malvern Water sales soar 50 %", The Economist 286: 55, 1983, http://books.google.com/books?id=t5PQAAAAIAAJ&q=%22malvern+water%22+schweppes&dq=%22malvern+water%22+schweppes&hl=en&ei=JQs-TJu-Ho7Jca6Y0KIB&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAzge, retrieved 14 July 2010 
• Emmins, Colin (1991), Soft Drinks: Their Origin and History, Buckinghamshire, UK: Shire Publications Ltd, ISBN 0-7478-0125-8, http://www.britishsoftdrinks.com/PDF/history.pdf, retrieved 14 July 2010 
• Jensen, Benedikte Herold (2007), That's The Way, Denmark: Systime, pp. 143–147, ISBN 978-87-6616-1139-0, http://books.google.com/books?id=mXbMuRNDucsC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22that's+the+way%22&hl=en&ei=EPg9TMeOGpKqcZz2gKYD&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false, retrieved 14 July 2010 
• LaMoreaux, Philip E., & Tanner, Judy T, ed. (2001), Springs and bottled water of the world: Ancient history, source, occurrence, quality and use, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer-Verlag, ISBN 3-540-61841-4, http://books.google.com/books?id=sjEoBmfUka0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=springs+bottled&hl=en&ei=SOU8TPT6M4HEvQPgxbHtDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false, retrieved 13 July 2010 
• Mascha, Michael (2006), Fine Waters: A Connoisseur's Guide to the World's Most Distinctive Bottled Waters, p. 18, ISBN 978-1-59474-119-7, http://books.google.com/books?id=OcGqoLGVGtIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22fine+waters%22&hl=en&ei=TPk9TMziNMS3caKv8KIB&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false, retrieved 14 July 2010 
• Cyril Ray (1981), "On The Tap", Punch 280: 688  Snippet 1Snippet 2snippet 3 retrieved 14 July 2010 (On Schweppes take over of W & J Burrow's bottling plant)
• Senior, Dorothy & Dedge, Nick (editors), ed. (2005), Technology of Bottled Water (2nd ed.), Blackwell Publishing, ISBN 1-4051-2038-X, http://books.google.com/books?id=30yhMfmIdLAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22bottled+water%22&hl=en&ei=Sv89TMXsAseecc6FlKIB&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false, retrieved 14 July 2010 
• Sutton, John (1991), Sunk Costs and Market Structure: Price, Competition, Advertising, and the Evolution of Concentration, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, p. 461, ISBN 0-262-19305-1, http://books.google.com/books?id=HfxcCO5msgwC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22sunk+costs%22&hl=en&ei=MAE-TPL7Is-xcZG12KIB&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false, retrieved 14 July 2010 
• Thompson, Francis M.L, ed. (1996), The Cambridge Social History of Britain 1750-1950, Vol 2: People and their environment, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, p. 267, ISBN 0-521-25789-1, http://books.google.com/books?id=PSfVL2QlHTAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22social+history%22+britain&hl=en&ei=dPw9TJL2HcbQccK6xaIB&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false, retrieved 14 July 2010 

References

1. ^ 52°06′27″N 2°19′48″W / 52.10737°N 2.32994°W / 52.10737; -2.32994
2. ^ ^{a b} Smart, Mike (2009), The Malvern Hills, London: Frances Lincoln Ltd, p. 17, ISBN 978-0-7112-2915-0, http://books.google.com.au/books?id=nzFpgAEk3IkC&pg=PA17&dq=%22malvern+water%22+purity&hl=en&ei=WX47TNCnKdSkccSdhLwI&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22malvern%20water%22%20purity&f=false, retrieved 12 July 2010 
3. ^ Blyth, Francis George Henry (1967), A Geology for Engineers, Edward Arnold, p. 273, http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22(maximum%20yield%20%3D%2077%20gallons%20per%20minute%22&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbo=u&tbs=bks:1&source=og&sa=N&tab=wp, retrieved 23 June 2010  First snippet view second snippet view
4. ^ "Hydrology and Fluvial Geomorphology", Area Geology (Abberley and Malvern Hills Geopark), http://www.geopark.org.uk/blog/_archives/2009/7/3/4243579.html, retrieved 12 July 2010 
5. ^ Great Malvern Conservation Area: Appraisal and Management Strategy, Malvern Hills District Council: Planning Services, April 2008, p. 5, http://malvern.whub.org.uk/cms/pdf/mhc-planning-dpc-gtmalvernfinalapril08.pdf, retrieved 12 July 2010 
6. ^ ^{a b c d} Official Malvern Water brochure. Coca-Cola Enterprises Limited. 2009. 
7. ^ "Schweppe's Malvern Seltzer Water", Medical Times and Gazette Advertiser Vol 12 - New series (301): 328, April 5, 1856, http://books.google.com/books?id=GCUCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA328-IA2&dq=%22malvern+seltzer%22+1856&hl=en&ei=6089TNmjKI7-vQPQ9vX_Dg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEEQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q&f=false, retrieved 14 July 2010 
8. ^ ^{a b} About Colwall, Herefordshire Council Parks, Countryside and Leisure Development Service (Funded by Malvern Hills AONB Partnership), 2008, http://www.malvernhillsaonb.org.uk/documents/Colwall-lowres-040508_001.pdf, retrieved 14 July 2010 
9. ^ ^{a b} "Holy Well". Malvern Spa Association. http://www.malvern-hills.co.uk/malvernspa/well-info/holy.html. Retrieved 14 October 2009. 
10. ^ McComb, Richard (July 24, 2009), "Water, as nature intended", Birmingham Post (Trinity Mirror Midlands Ltd), http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/postfeatures/2009/07/24/water-as-nature-intended-65233-24231980/, retrieved 15 July 2010 
11. ^ Richardson, Linsdall (1930), Wells and springs of Worcestershire, (Memoirs of the Geological Survey, England and Wales), London: HM Stationary Office, p. 119, http://books.google.com/books?id=KWTPAAAAMAAJ&q=%22jh+cuff+%26+co%22&dq=%22jh+cuff+%26+co%22&hl=en&ei=Z6w_TOf1FY3KvQOXkJCeCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA, retrieved 16 July 2010 
12. ^ "Historic bottling plant at Holy Well open for business again", Malvern Gazette (Newsquest Media Group), 9 November 2009, http://www.malverngazette.co.uk/news/4727800.Historic_bottling_plant_at_Holy_Well_open_for_business_again/, retrieved 5 July 2010 
13. ^ "Put a spring in your step", Malvern Gazette (Newsquest Media Group), 16 June 2003, http://archive.malverngazette.co.uk/2003/6/16/196712.html, retrieved 11 October 2010 
14. ^ ^{a b} Schweppes & Malvern Water, Malvern-Hills.Co, http://www.malvern-hills.co.uk/schweppes.html, retrieved 14 July 2010 
15. ^ Coca-Cola.co.uk Coca Cola Great Britain and Ireland receives Water Stewardship Award for Malvern Water, Coca-Cola Great Britain: Press Centre, 1 September 2008, http://presscentre.coca-cola.co.uk/viewnews/coca_cola_great_britain_and_ireland_receives_water_stewardship_award_for_malvern_water Coca-Cola.co.uk, retrieved 5 July 2010 
16. ^ "CocaCola Scwheppes Water web page". http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/brands/schweppes-water.html. Retrieved 14 July 2010. 
17. ^ "Hopes for revival of Malvern Water dashed". Malvern Gazette (Newsquest Media Group). 28 October 2011. http://www.malverngazette.co.uk/news/local/9331926.Hopes_for_revival_of_Malvern_Water_dashed/. Retrieved 28 October 2011. 
18. ^ Bacteriological sampling of Malvern spring water, Malvern Hills District Council, 2010, http://www.malvernhills.gov.uk/cms/pdf/mhc-env-malvern-water-spouts-results-2010-02.pdf, retrieved 3 July 2010  Source page
19. ^ James Connell (11 April 2007), "MALVERN: Why taste of the hills is no longer called mineral water", Worcester News, http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/1319707.malvern_why_taste_of_the_hills_is_no_longer_called_mineral_water/, retrieved 3 July 2010 
20. ^ Van Der Aa, Monique (2003). "Classification of mineral water types and comparison with drinking water standards". Environmental Geology 44: 554–563. doi:10.1007/s00254-003-0791-4. 
21. ^ Poulter, Sean (9 April 2007), "Why Malvern can no longer call itself mineral water", Daily Mail, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-447466/Why-Malvern-longer-mineral-water.html, retrieved 13 July 2010 
22. ^ Leading soft drinks withdrawn, BBC News, June 1, 1998, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/104284.stm, retrieved 14 July 2010 
23. ^ Parliamentary Debates, House of Commons, 15 February 1983, columns 268–274.
24. ^ "Taking the waters in Malvern". BBC Hereford and Worcester. June 2003. http://www.bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester/features/malverns/new_malverns_water.shtml. Retrieved 24 June 2010. 

External links

• St Anne's Well, Malvern, c.1900, from
• Holy Well on Malvern Wells Parish Council web site.