New Spring Water Pumping Station, Engine House And Pump Masters House

BIGGLESWADE

927/5/67 LONDON ROAD 21-JUL-03 PUMP HOUSE AND PUMP MASTER'S HOUSE LONDON ROAD New Spring Water Pumping Station, Engi ne House and Pump Master's House

GV II LONDON ROAD (West Side)

TL 210416SW New Spring Water Pumping 927/5/67 Station, 25-JAN-1984 Engine House and Pump Master's House

GV II

Water pumping station and superintendent's house. Dated 1906. George F. Deacon, Chief engineer to the Biggleswade Water Board. Snecked red sandstone ashlar with hipped clay tile roof. Rectangular plan engine house and double-depth plan house. Arts and Crafts style. Engine house is single storey, 3 window bays; Pump Master's house is 2 storeys and attic; 5 window range. EXTERIOR: ENGINE HOUSE single storey with pitched roof. Projecting central porch with rusticated lower courses, semi-circular arch entrance with drip mould and keystone under 2 square windows with metal geometric tracery. Above these, projecting cornice under 2 square turrets with deeply recessed arched windows with metal geometric tracery, flanking a shallow gable with panel inscribed BWB/1906. North and south elevations each have large central semi-circular 3-light windows flanked by side windows each with cambered heads, all with glazing bars. Late-C20 brick filter house attached to rear not of special interest. Walls front and rear link with PUMP MASTER'S HOUSE. House has a string course, front square corner towers and a pyramidal roof. Ground floor has deep recessed entrance porch to right with short column over wall, and 3 rectangular lights to left with leaded glazing bars, keystones and quoins. Similar windows to first floor, group of 3 to left and pair above entrance. 5-light flat-headed dormer. INTERIOR: ENGINE HOUSE has interior pumps in situ. Water pumped from boreholes and treated to remove iron by air injection and pressure filters; chlorine added and pumped to water tower and covered reservoir at Toplers Hill. Glazed bricks to walls. Plaques identify Water Board and details of the well. Cast iron trusses with curved braces. Crane by Vaughan Crane Co. of Manchester. PUMP MASTER'S HOUSE has full height, open well stair with slender turned balusters and flared chamfered newels. Some cast iron fireplaces with Arts Nouveau detail. HISTORY: Formerly contained diesel-powered pumps, now electric. SUBSIDIARY: The contemporary entrance wall and piers are listed separately.

Listing NGR: TL2105341637