Covered reservoir, Cleadon Pumping Station

Image: © Andrew Curtis Taken: 30 Jan 2020

"The covered reservoir is the most unusual of all the structures in this zone, significant in size and historical development. Its circular shape with a smooth light grey 50m diameter concrete dome makes it difficult to appreciate in its entirety, and it is generally only glimpsed over walls, through trees and behind buildings from both within and outside the site. From the top of the chimney, however, its vast proportions are quite dramatic. It is currently fenced off and inaccessible." "This is an unusual large circular domed structure with no aboveground sidewalls. Historic photographs show it is about 6m deep, sunken into the ground and lined with irregular coursed stone, originally with a stone set floor and ornate railings around its rim. This is all now concealed by the stark light grey concrete dome, added in 1954." "... water which was piped away under ground to the large circular reservoir, which held 2 million gallons of water. This reservoir was covered in 1954 by what was reputed to then be the largest unsupported concrete dome in Europe." Cleadon Hills Conservation Area Character Appraisal (2007).

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