Dame Mary Bolle'S Water Tower Including Water Wheel Housing And Overflow Channel

SE 3519 and SE 3520 WARMFIELD-CUM-HEATH HEATH COMMON (west side)

Dame Mary Bolle's 6/86 Water Tower including water wheel housing and overflow channel

II*

Water tower perhaps also used as gazebo. Early-mid C17 restored c1985 at time of resurvey. Large well-coursed gritstone, stone slate roof. 5-stage tower square-on-plan. Quoins. 1st and 2nd stages are stepped with chamfered band. 3rd and 4th stages have projecting band of square section. West face has plinth broken by Tudor-arched doorway with composite jambs and chamfered surround. Right-hand jamb has date "1685", the numerals of true C17 character. Rectangular ventilator to either side and above door in 2nd stage. 2-light double-chamfered mullioned window set below eaves of pyramidal roof. East face (rear) has Tudor- arched doorway with deep lintel and composite jambs to 2nd stage (rectangular openings above to each stage) and 2-light window under eaves. North and south faces each have a 2-light window to 2nd stage and under eaves.

Interior: partly-excavated large cistern carved out of bed-rock with large kerb stones round 2 sides, fed by spring in north-east corner. Large spine beam with mortices for floor joists to 2nd stage with plastered walls above. Set beyond and below the west entrance at lower level and partially sunk into side of hill is remains of C19 cast-iron water-wheel with narrow overflow channel and segmental arched open roof above. This is approached down 2 flights of 9 stone steps with with dressed rubble walls to west side with quoins, the angle chamfered.

A unusual building associated with Heath Old Hall (demolished). From it a vista of the city of Wakefield may be obtained and it is likely it was a viewing tower. What use the water wheel was put to is uncertain. It may have driven the water in the cistern to a tank at the top and is thought to have served a nearby ironworks.

Listing NGR: SE3520119974