Retort House And King George Pumping Station

Retort House and King George Pumping Station, opened in 1913, was designed by William Booth Bryan for the Metropolitan Water Board. The building is constructed of English bond red brick with limestone ashlar dressings, set on a plinth of blue brick, and features a gabled corrugated asbestos roof. It has a layout of 4 by 2 bays, with a 4-bay side elevation. The side elevation includes raised stone impost bands that link three semi-circular arched niches, which are set between tall semi-circular arched architraves with keystones. The outer bays contain double doors, while the two central bays have windows with glazing bars, some of which have been infilled with later brick. A moulded stone cornice runs across the corner turrets and serves as a string course across the gable ends. Each gable end features three graduated semi-circular arched windows with glazing bars, above a stone impost band that links to a central semi-circular arched niche flanked by semi-circular arched windows with glazing bars. The interior boasts cast-iron roof trusses. The retort house was used to store gas made from anthracite in Dowson producers before it was sent through a scrubber into the gas bags of the Pump House. This building is included for its group value.