High Park Reservoir (also known as Toxteth Reservoir) is a disused reservoir in the Toxteth district of Liverpool, England. Water for the reservoir was enclosed in a brick-built, sandstone-clad building. The building still stands and is opened to visitors for special occasions and events.
| High Park Reservoir | |
|---|---|
.JPG) High Park Reservoir, as seen in 2013 | |
| Alternative names | Toxteth Reservoir |
| General information | |
| Status | Not used for water storage since 1997, now used as an events space |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Classification | Grade II listed |
| Address | High Park Street, Toxteth, L8 |
| Town or city | Liverpool |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 53°23′11″N 2°57′51″W / 53.3863°N 2.9643°W / 53.3863; -2.9643 |
| Opened | 1853 |
| Closed | 1997 (for use as a reservoir) |
| Dimensions | |
| Other dimensions | 53.5 m (176 ft) x 67 m (220 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Sandstone and brick |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Duncan |
| Other information | |
| Public transit access | Brunswick railway station |
| References | |
| Historic England, ref. 1279691 | |
History
Opening in 1853, the reservoir provided fresh water to the rapidly growing city of Liverpool. This was especially important given the prevalence of cholera at the time. The reservoir's height above parts of the city meant that it also provided a head of water for fighting fires at the city's docks.
Capable of holding approximately 2 million gallons, it was fed with fresh water from Rivington Pike in the West Pennine Moors and a spring in the Lodge Lane area of Liverpool. The building served as a reservoir for 140 years before its closure in 1997. It was given Grade II listed building status in June 1985.
After a period of being left unused, the building has been used as a community space and events venue. It is not normally open to visitors, but there is an annual Heritage Day Open Event that allows people to see inside. The building has proven useful as a location for filming, and has been used in Peaky Blinders.
As part of Liverpool's Biennual celebrations in 2016, the building was used as an art installation for a piece by Rita McBride, called Portal. In 2018 it was again used for an installation, called AURORA.
Architecture
Historic England describe the building as: "Retaining wall and corner tower to reservoir. 1855. Probably T. Duncan. Snecked stone. Battered wall with top roll moulding, approximately 53.5m x 67m. Entrance with studded door at right hand end of main facade; plaque with Liver bird over. Round tower above has broaches, slits and corbelled top."
The building has a flat roof, covered in grass, which offers good all round views of the city.
See also
External links
References
- Sharples & Pollard (2004), p. 273
- Weston, Alan (1 August 2021). "Stunning reservoir and tower you can spot during Peaky Blinders". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "TOXTETH RESERVOIR, RETAINING WALLS AND CORNER TOWER, Non Civil Parish - 1279691 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- Rand, Lisa (7 September 2019). "Chance to look inside Liverpool reservoir that's starred in Peaky Blinders". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- Weston, Alan (1 August 2021). "Stunning reservoir and tower you can spot during Peaky Blinders". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- "Toxteth Reservoir | Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art". www.biennial.com. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- "Video: 'Walk on water' in an amazing immersive tour of Toxteth Reservoir". Liverpool Business News. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
Sources
- Sharples, Joseph; Pollard, Richard (2004), Liverpool, Pevsner Architectural Guides, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, ISBN 0-300-10258-5