Sixteenth Century?? Cesspit Emptier!!

With thanks to Katie, Evie & Zach for the wonderful photo of this “original Tudor chain pump” or desludging device that they found at Hampton Court Palace recently -

• apparently used to empty cesspits in the Palace, up and into a pipe that leads directly to the adjoining River Thames.

• Dumping latrine sludge in the nearest water course .... who would have thought it?!