Fire Plug

Around Kendal there are a number of markers with the letters "FP" on them. Some are incised in stone blocks, others painted on walls and on metal plaques on walls. FP stands for Fire Plug - they were placed there to mark the location of a holes in the water mains laid in the Victorian era used by the fire brigades (which were initially private, paid by the insurance companies and therefore very competitive). The name FIre Plug was already in use in England around 1713.

When the underground water main system was installed, mainly in Victorian times the main was made by hollowing out logs and fitting the ends together. The water main was marked all over town, so people wouldn't dig there and cause leaks. Initially there were no holes in the mains but when the fire brigade needed water (and there was no other supply), it is thought they would look for the main, dig down to it, drill a hole in the wooden pipe with a special drill, and insert a stand pipe or hand pump in the hole so they could pump water out and onto the fire. This theory, although possible, is open to some doubt as there is little evidence to support it.

If it was true, when they were done they would plug the hole with a ready-made plug (often made of redwood but in any case a wood that would stand being wet), tapered so it would fit tightly. Then they would cover the main back up with soil and sometimes a barrel, and mark the spot, so when they needed water in that area again they could dig there, instead of having to drill a new hole. They could pull the plug out again and pump water. Wooden pipes were still used in place into the early 1900s but it is likely that many of these fire plug markers actually indicted valves and outlets in cast iron pipes installed from the 1850's onwards.

The numbers below the FP marker are normally in feet and inches and indicate the distance to the plug. In some cases such as the one on Serpentine Road near Dog Kennel Wood there are markers either side of the road but only one indicated the distance.

They are now known as 'Fire Hydrants' although these are sometimes above ground and where they are still below ground in a chamber with a removable cover - in both cases there is a valve with a hose connection.

For more information have a look at at this web page - admittedly has an American bias but does mention the situation in England: History of the Term Fire Plug & Plug Ugly