This is a small pond by the side of Watchet lane and is first recorded on the 1742 map of the Manor of Holmer as Woodcocks Swilly, The Anglo-Saxon word Swilly refers to farmland and further back in time the Celtic meaning is water. This pond appears to have ancient roots. In relatively recent times the pond has been referred to as the Sheep dip and more commonly as the Sheep wash.

 There is archaeological evidence for sheep rearing in the village as early as the late Iron Age. In medieval times sheep were a mainstay of our local rural economy, this is still evidenced by several sheep related place and road names in the village. Apart from rearing sheep locally large flocks of sheep would be droved periodically through the village with many requiring overnight folding. Sheep also require washing and need to be dipped and submerged under water, this was performed at the sheep washes.

Today the ‘pond’ is enclosed and used as a small nature resource by the Secondary school