Daily Photo – The Butterfly Pond in Palmerston North

Around 1190, Godfrey de Lucy, the Bishop of Winchester, decided that a very large pond would be a rather nice addition to the Hampshire landscape. His plan was a simple one: dam the River Itchen and create a series of cleverly designed locks and canals that would eventually run all the way to the sea. What followed was a massive building project lasting more than two years, resulting in a reservoir covering approximately 200 acres, complete with an embankment stretching 365 metres long and 6 metres high.When it was finished, few could argue that it wasn’t an impressive accomplishment. What’s more, it served a multitude of functions. Firstly, it acted as a “stew pond”, providing a constant supply of fresh fish for the Bishop and the local population. Secondly, the controlled release of water from the weir powered mills further downstream and, finally, the canals helped create a trading boom.

The pond itself was a feat of high medieval technology. It required a massive labour force of local peasants, along with specialised stonemasons, to construct this new stretch of water that appeared in the Hampshire countryside. Once completed, the project proved so successful that it spurred the development of a new town to take advantage of it. What’s more, although now smaller in scale, it has survived to this very day, known as Old Alresford Pond.

In the Middle Ages, ponds were primarily practical. Monasteries designed them to provide a reliable food source, but as the years rolled by, their purpose began to shift. Gradually, the focus moved from necessity to leisure. Ponds were designed to appear natural and became centrepieces for grand estates, reflecting the sky and creating tranquil, picturesque vistas. Before long, they were appearing in public parks too, becoming places for strolling, boating, and quiet admiration. They framed pathways and bridges, sat among carefully planted gardens, and in some cases, entire towns were shaped around them.

All of this talk about ponds is a roundabout way of saying that, in Palmerston North, I came across what is known as the “Butterfly Pond”. Located in the central square, it’s not large or particularly dramatic, but it sits nicely among the lawns and trees. Built in 1909 and officially opened that same year by Mayor James Nash, it was designed in the shape of a butterfly, with the two “wings” forming the pond itself and a bridge across the middle acting as the body. Fountains were added in the 1960s and it has been considered a lovely addition to the Palmerston North central square ever since.