The Pumping Station

The Pumping Station, dating from 1894, was designed by J. Mackworth Wood as an engineer, with machinery by Easton & Anderson of London and a well by Tilley & Sons of London. It was designed in the Roman Italianate style to serve the municipal water tower of 1883, and was later converted to offices in 1988. The building is constructed of red brick with reconstituted stone details and slate roofs.

The plan consists of a square, two-storey and basement block to the south of a long, single-storey machinery block. The south block's north and south elevations are divided by pilasters, which clasp at each return. The south elevation has two 2-light cast-iron casements with arched heads containing a circular light, all set within recessed gauged round arches. An east bay features a fielded door under a plain arched light. An ovolo moulded string course runs along the first floor, above which are three twin arched casements. A machicolated cornice sits below a moulded eaves cornice, topped by a pyramid roof.

The west elevation mirrors the south, with similar ground-floor casements and a string course. The first floor features five casements with gauged round arches below hoodmoulds, arranged in a 1:3:1 pattern. The east elevation is similar, incorporating a 6-panelled, diamond-fielded door centrally. The north block has five gauged arches; the west side showing a ventilation panel in the north arch, blind panels in the following two arches, a window similar to those on other elevations in the next, and a 20th-century half-glazed door in the final arch. The north block is bounded by an ovolo and ogeed rubbed brick cornice over a dentil course and has a gabled roof.

The east side of the machinery block features gauged recessed arches divided by splay-footed pilasters that continue the arches. Bays one and three have round-arched cast-iron windows; bays two and four have 4-panelled double-leaf doors; and bay five – separated from the others by a full-height pilaster – has a machine room vent. The north gable end has a wide round relieving arch containing an oculus.

The interior of the south block includes a well head in the basement, situated within a brick inner room that has a continuous external ambulatory. Late 20th-century machinery is also present.