SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Came across an interesting quote in the Annals of YorkshireQuote1694 On the 3rd of March, this year, the commoncouncil of Leeds gave the sum of £40 as an encouragement and in consideration of Henry Gillert, of Leicester;and George Sorocold, of Derby; for laying an engine toconvey water from the river Aire, through the streets, toall the houses in the town of Leeds, who should wishto purchase the same of them, and exempted them fromtaxes.Does anyone know who had the first plumbed water supply in Leeds?Wonder what type of "engine" they used - does the pipework still exist?    When you consider how important sanitation is (the lack of it has probably killed more Leeds people than any other cause over the years) this is quite an important event.

In 1694 Pitfall Mills were the site of the city's first waterworks, an engine was installed to push water up Briggate to a reservoir, some ninety feet above the level of the river. Pitfall street can still be seen at the side of the New Penny pub to this day.

I've found something in the wonderfully-titled "The tourist's companion; or, The history of the scenes and places on the route by rail-road and steam-packet from Leeds and Selby to Hull", written in 1835 by Edward Parsons:"The first works for the supply of the inhabitants of Leeds with Water were constructed in 1694, under the direction of an engineer whose name was Sorocold; a large reservoir was prepared at Lidgate, to supply the pipes, and Kirkgate was the street in which those pipes were first laid. In 1754 new premises were taken for the site of the requisite works; in 1790 an act was obtained to regulate the whole system, and in the next year the present works were made. The act by which the Leeds Water Works are at present regulated was passed in 1809- The works are under the superintendence of thirteen commissioners, chosen annually. Great attention has recently been paid to the necessity of adopting some new plan for the supply of the town with water, and it is highly probable that at no great distance of time, that supply will be procured from the copious and excellent springs at Alwoodley and Eccup."I can't find any record of where Lidgate was - could it be the predecessor of Ludgate Hill (the other side of what is now the market), or an early name for Lidgett Park, which could arguably have been a good location for a reservoir?

Ah - just seen Phill's reply which arrived while I was typing! The location of the reservoir is solved, but presumably no trace of Lidgate these days.

Thanks Phill_dvsn and Tasa - must dig out a map to see if i can locate themI'm interested in what the pipes were made from - the recent frost in Ireland revealed th existance of wooden pipes!    

If you head south from Leeds onto Heath Common (off A638 'Doncaster Turn-Pike') at Wakefield, there's a 'private water-Tower' that apparantly dates back to the early 1600's!!http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1136 ... tower.html

you beat me to it RichT.The water tower at heath common is also known as Mary Bolles Well on old OS maps.It was built over an old holy well (actually a spring which is still there) in order to pump water up to a fake gatehouse that was actually a water tank at Heath Hall.running water was supplied at the hall from the tank.You can still see what is left of the machinery in the old tower.It is also reputed to be haunted by the ghost of Dame Mary bolles as are various other parts of Heath,although I have never seen/felt anything on my numerous visits over the years.It always reminds me of something from a hammer film with the cross on top ,put there by an order of French nuns in the 19th century.

Steve Jones wrote: you beat me to it RichT Sorry.. Steve Jones wrote: You can still see what is left of the machinery in the old tower I'm not sure if the machinery is still in-situ, but it was the last time I had a look (6 years ago?) Steve Jones wrote: It always reminds me of something from a hammer film with the cross on top ,put there by an order of French nuns in the 19th century. It's funny you say that, as there's supposed to be the graves of a group of French Nuns in Kirkthorpe Churchyard, who were stranded there after (I think??) the Napoleonic warsI run past the graveyard (other side of road from Church, opposite the Stocks, & Freeston 'Hospital'), & around the back of the Church on one of my 'cross-country' routes. but never stopped to lookApparantly, it also has the grave of a survivor of 'The Charge of the Light-Brigade'!!I'll have to stop & look one day

Leeds Hippo wrote: Thanks Phill_dvsn and Tasa - must dig out a map to see if i can locate themI'm interested in what the pipes were made from - the recent frost in Ireland revealed th existance of wooden pipes!     Most early pipes were made of elm iirc or lead if it could be afforded. I think some wooden pipes were uncovered in Sheffield about 10 years ago.

Cardiarms wrote: Leeds Hippo wrote: Thanks Phill_dvsn and Tasa - must dig out a map to see if i can locate themI'm interested in what the pipes were made from - the recent frost in Ireland revealed th existance of wooden pipes!     Most early pipes were made of elm iirc or lead if it could be afforded. I think some wooden pipes were uncovered in Sheffield about 10 years ago. They were indeed made of elm. Wiki page for George Sorocoldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Sorocold