The water in this and other wells and pumps around Buxton flows at a temperature of 28C all year round. Springs are present in the region where the local limestone rock meets the Gritstone, and the water is forced up and along fissures until it arrives at the surface. As with many springs throughout the UK, the ancient peoples formed settlements where there was a constant fresh water supply. Some of Buxton's earliest settlers made use of either the water made available by these springs, or they used the water from the river Wye which flows through the town.