Base of the southern water tower to the Crystal Palace including attached low walls, brick-lined trenches and pipework

Base and foundations of the southern Crystal Palace water tower. Built for the Crystal Palace Company by Fox, Henderson and Company to designs by Isambard Kingdom Brunel between 1854 and 1856. The tower itself was demolished in 1940-41.

MATERIALS: mass Portland cement concrete foundations with surmounting stock brick superstructure. Cast-iron pipework.

DESCRIPTION: the structure comprises a thick, tapering, ring of brickwork, around 5.5m in height and laid in English bond, beneath which is subterranean area enclosed within the circular mass concrete foundation with a depth of around 3m. The brickwork has a coating of cement render which has fallen off in places. On the north side of the structure is an arched opening with a cast-iron gate. To the east of the entrance is a small brick arch at ground level. From this protrudes a large diameter cast-iron water pipe, laid in a brick-lined trench, which branches to the north-east and north-west with a large rectangular valve to each branch. To the north and east of the tower base are a number of attached low walls and a brick pavement.

Within the tower base a vaulted brick passageway gives access to a 5m high square brick structure which formed the base of the brick chimney which occupied the centre of the tower.

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 17/07/2020