{"id":74752,"date":"2021-07-01T10:09:12","date_gmt":"2021-07-01T10:09:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/?page_id=74752"},"modified":"2024-02-22T14:00:40","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T14:00:40","slug":"maharajas-well","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/maps-and-resources\/office-geology\/maharajas-well\/","title":{"rendered":"Maharaja&#8217;s Well"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t\t<section class=\"hero-section hero-section-with-social\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1>Maharaja&#039;s Well, Wallingford<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discovering Geology &mdash; Maps and resources<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"social-wrap social-wrap-inline-them\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sea-background-f\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>Share this article<\/span><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/maps-and-resources\/office-geology\/maharajas-well\/\"><span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span class=\"hidden\">Facebook<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Maharaja&#8217;s%20Well&#038;url=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/maps-and-resources\/office-geology\/maharajas-well\/\"><span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span class=\"hidden\">Twitter<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   onclick=\"javascript:void( (function() {var e=document.createElement('script' );e.setAttribute('type','text\/javascript' );e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8' );e.setAttribute('src','\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());\"  href=\"javascript:void(0);\"><span class=\"icon-pinterest\"><span class=\"hidden\">Pinterest<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/wa.me?text=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/maps-and-resources\/office-geology\/maharajas-well\/\"><span class=\"icon-whatsapp\"><span class=\"hidden\">WhatsApp<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   href=\"mailto:?subject=Maharaja&#8217;s%20Well&#038;body=The%20story%20of%20the%20Maharaja\u2019s%20Well%20is%20not%20just%20cultural%20but%20is%20intimately%20bound%20up%20with%20the%20geology%20of%20the%20Chilterns%20Hills.%20%20(https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/maps-and-resources\/office-geology\/maharajas-well\/)\"><span class=\"icon-mail\"><span class=\"hidden\">Email<\/span><\/span><\/a><a href=\"#\" data-copy=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/maps-and-resources\/office-geology\/maharajas-well\/\" class=\"copy-url-on-click\"><span class=\"icon-link\"><span class=\"hidden\">Copy Link<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-bgs-blocks-content-container content-section\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-12\">\n<p>In the centre of Stoke Row, high in the Chiltern Hills, is an incongruous sight; a highly ornate wrought iron pavilion that shelters a windlass, capped with a sculpture of a golden elephant, placed over a water well. The story of the Maharaja\u2019s Well is not just&nbsp;cultural but&nbsp;is intimately bound up with the geology of the Chilterns.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Image_of_Maharajas_Well_head.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;Windlass for raising water on top of the Maharaja\u2019s Well. Source: BGS \u00a9 UKRI&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_67734\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Image_of_Maharajas_Well_head-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Close up of Maharaja&#039;s well head\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Image_of_Maharajas_Well_head.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>Windlass for raising water on top of the Maharaja\u2019s Well. Source: BGS \u00a9 UKRI<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Image_of_Maharajas_Well_head.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;Windlass for raising water on top of the Maharaja\u2019s Well. Source: BGS \u00a9 UKRI&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_67734\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Origin of the well<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the 1860s, as a gesture of friendship to Edward Reade of the East India Company, the Maharaja of Benares (Varanasi) in India funded the digging of a well to improve Stoke Row\u2019s water supply. Digging of the well started in 1863 and construction took a year. The well cost \u00a3353, equivalent to \u00a345&nbsp;000 at today\u2019s prices.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Image_of_Maharajas_Well.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;The pavilion that shelters the Maharaja\u2019s Well. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_78424\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Image_of_Maharajas_Well-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Mahraraja&#039;s Well\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Image_of_Maharajas_Well.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>The pavilion that shelters the Maharaja\u2019s Well. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Image_of_Maharajas_Well.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;The pavilion that shelters the Maharaja\u2019s Well. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_78424\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>So why was such an expensive well needed by the village?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before the availability of piped&nbsp;water,&nbsp;the only practical sources of water would have been&nbsp;ponds, streams or rivers, shallow wells and collecting rainwater.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Geology of the area<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Chiltern Hills are formed by an&nbsp;outcrop&nbsp;of the <a href=\"https:\/\/webapps.bgs.ac.uk\/lexicon\/lexicon.cfm?pub=CK\">Chalk Group<\/a>, a&nbsp;fine&nbsp;white&nbsp;limestone that was deposited in the Cretaceous.&nbsp;A key feature of chalk is that it is very porous. Rainwater that falls on the hills quickly soaks into the rock, so there are very few ponds,&nbsp;streams,&nbsp;or rivers.&nbsp;The only place where ponds form up on the hills is where you find caps of&nbsp;the <a href=\"https:\/\/webapps.bgs.ac.uk\/lexicon\/lexicon.cfm?pub=LMBE\">Lambeth Group<\/a> or&nbsp;clay-with-flints (thin deposits of clay&nbsp;and&nbsp;sands&nbsp;that are the remnants of thick, marine deposits that would have overlain the&nbsp;chalk but&nbsp;have been&nbsp;largely eroded&nbsp;away). The clay in these deposits, in contrast to the chalk, is&nbsp;impermeable&nbsp;so that rainwater doesn\u2019t soak in.&nbsp;Instead,&nbsp;it runs off the surface and can collect in ponds. At the edge of these clay deposits the water will soak into the chalk, which acts like a giant sponge (an aquifer) from which you can extract water with wells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Demand for water<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Stoke Row, in common with many other Chiltern villages, was built on the edge of one of these caps of clay-with-flints, not only because there was access to water, but because the clay could be dug out and used for construction. But the clay deposits&nbsp;don\u2019t&nbsp;soak up water so, during dry spells, the ponds will&nbsp;dry up&nbsp;and water becomes scarce. As the&nbsp;village&#8217;s&nbsp;population grew, demand for water will have begun to exceed the supply available from ponds and, with better understanding of how important clean water is&nbsp;for health, drinking polluted pond water was increasingly unacceptable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the 1800s, with developing understanding of geology and the behaviour of the water table, more Chiltern communities started to dig deep wells. The free-draining chalk means the water table never gets much above the level in the few local rivers. For Stoke Row, this means that the water table is nearly 100&nbsp;m below ground \u2014 almost exactly at the level of the River Thames, which flows through the Chilterns 10&nbsp;km south of the village. This means that the well needed to be dug 112&nbsp;m to access a secure supply of water; this was both difficult and expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Geology_Figures-5_v2.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;Cross-section illustrating how the well is dug down through the Chalk Group to the water table, which is at the level of the River Thames. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_11341\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Geology_Figures-5_v2-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Geology_Figures-5_v2\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Geology_Figures-5_v2.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>Cross-section illustrating how the well is dug down through the Chalk Group to the water table, which is at the level of the River Thames. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Geology_Figures-5_v2.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;Cross-section illustrating how the well is dug down through the Chalk Group to the water table, which is at the level of the River Thames. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_11341\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Visiting the well<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As you stand in front of the canopy, it\u2019s hard to envisage how deep the well is&nbsp;\u2014 almost as deep as a standard football pitch is long. A display board shows you the geological structure below the well. You won\u2019t find outcrops of chalk close to the well, but walk east a few metres along the road from the well and you can stroll around a field called the \u2018Ishree&nbsp;Bagh\u2019, which was planted with cherry trees by the Maharaja to provide an income to maintain the well, which is constructed on the old clay pits dug in the clay-with-flints. The \u2018ravine\u2019, which is actually an excavation in the centre of this field, is dug through the deposit and is dry because the water is soaking into the chalk. Shallower excavations at the far end of the field retain water.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To visit the well, park at the&nbsp;village hall in Stoke Row.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>More information on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/magazine-20498306\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Maharaja&#8217;s Well<\/a> <\/li><li>More information on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaltrust.org.uk\/chilterns-countryside\/features\/the-geology-beneath-the-chilterns-countryside\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">geology of the Chilterns<\/a> <br><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\t\t<h2>About the author<\/h2>\n\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"cards cards-contact no-shape\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Andy-Mckenzie_P935745-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Andrew Mckenzie\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Andy-Mckenzie_P935745.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5>Andrew McKenzie<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Groundwater information manager<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>BGS Wallingford<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/people\/mckenzie-andrew\/\">Find out more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"relatives\">\n\t\t\t\t<h5>Relative topics<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/tag\/groundwater-research\/\" class=\"button primary-background\">groundwater<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/tag\/postcard-geology\/\" class=\"button primary-background\">postcard geology<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<section   id=\"latest-content-1278-block_608869028b6f7\" class=\"grid-section  primary-background   \" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row header-of-section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>You may also be interested in<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row grid-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/feature_homepage_p815563-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Ammonite p815563\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/feature_homepage_p815563.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/\">Discovering Geology<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discovering Geology introduces a range of geoscience topics to school-age students and learners of all ages.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/maps-and-resources\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Maps_and_resources_feature-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Maps and resources feature image P542895\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Maps_and_resources_feature.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/maps-and-resources\/\">Maps and resources<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Download and print free educational resources.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/maps-and-resources\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/maps-and-resources\/office-geology\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Scarborough_headland-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Scarborough Castle headland\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Scarborough_headland.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/maps-and-resources\/office-geology\/\">Postcard geology<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Find out more about sites of geological interest around the UK, as described by BGS staff.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/maps-and-resources\/office-geology\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The story of the Maharaja\u2019s Well is not just cultural but is intimately bound up with the geology of the Chilterns Hills. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":74759,"parent":71982,"menu_order":7,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"50567,37440,62204,37431,8435,37384","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[1011,1070],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Maharaja&#039;s Well - British Geological Survey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The story of the Maharaja\u2019s Well is not just cultural but is intimately bound up with the geology of the 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