Tap Housing Circa 10 Metres West Of Number 8

The tap housing, located approximately 10 metres west of Number 8 in Middleton in Teesdale, was built around 1827 for the London Lead Company. It is constructed from sandstone ashlar and features stone kerbs in front of plain jambs that support a wider lintel. The coping is shaped like a pediment and is set back slightly, with the entire structure standing about 0.8 metres high. Inside the recess, there is a stone slab with a tap set into the top and a wooden backing above. Two iron bars extend from the stone slab to the kerb, forming a bucket stand. This tap housing exemplifies the care taken by the Lead Company in providing housing and facilities for its best workers, approximately thirty years before the local authority established a public water supply.