Waterworks at Blagdon: former meter house

A small Gothic-style meter house, now a bat sanctuary, built as part of the waterworks at Blagdon (1898-1905) designed by Charles Hawksley.

MATERIALS: the building is constructed in coarsed rusticated stone with stone ashlar dressings and quoins, and set on a deep and slightly projecting rock-faced plinth. It has a pitched tiled roof with timber barge boards to the gable ends, now concealed behind modern timber replacements.

PLAN: a single storey, single cell rectangular plan.

EXTERIOR: the north front has a three-point arched opening with a timber plank door, set under a bracketed porch with a louvered ventilation lancet above. The south-west side elevation has two blind, three-point arched windows, whilst the other side facing the reservoir, has two transom and mullioned three-point arched windows. The rear has one three-light transom and mullioned window. The windows to the rear and the side elevation facing the reservoir are now (2014) boarded up to prevent light from entering due to the building being in use as a bat sanctuary.

INTERIOR: not inspected.

SETTING: the former meter house stands in its own grounds on the landscaped shore of Blagdon Lake, formerly called the Yeo Reservoir, c 430m south-east of Blagdon pumping station.