What looks like a pool of stagnant water by the side of the road in Royston, in Hertfordshire, is really the oldest carriage wash in the world. The Barkway Carriage Wash, also known as the Wagon Wash, dates back to the 1600 and is one of only four such structures known in England.
The carriage wash is a brick-lined structure with a gentle slope leading into water, which is drawn from an underground channel. This allowed carriages to be driven into the water to clean the coach wheels and nameplates without flooding the interior. The carriage wash also allowed the wheels to be soaked, which prevented the wood from shrinking from the metal rims. In warm, dry weather, wooden wheels could shrink, causing the spokes to fall out.
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Photo credit: Historic England Archive
Source: amusingplanet.com