- Tower Hill Water Tower
Infobox building
building_name = Tower Hill Water Tower
caption = The water tower in 2007
building_type =Water tower
architectural_style =Romanesque Revival
location =Ormskirk ,Lancashire
client = Ormskirk Local Board of Health
start_date = 1853
completion_date = 1854
height = convert|17|m|ftTower Hill Water Tower is a disused
water tower and local landmark inOrmskirk ,Lancashire . Situated on the east side of Tower Hill, it was built between 1853-4 for Ormskirk Local Board of Health,citeweb|title=Water Tower on Tower Hill|url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=386420&mode=adv|publisher=Images of England, English Heritage|accessdate=2008-07-29] and is reputed to be the oldest remaining water tower in the country.citeweb|title=Planing Permission Application No. 8/2004/1644 and Listed Building Consent Application No. 8/2004/1645|url=http://webdocs.westlancsdc.gov.uk/coins/ViewSelectedDocument.asp?DocumentID=9766|publisher=West Lancashire District Council|accessdate=2008-07-29] It was awarded Grade II* listed status in 1976, and is on theBuildings at Risk Register . [citeweb|title=Water Tower, Tower Hill|url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/conBar.7268|publisher=Heritage at Risk Register, English Heritage|accessdate=2008-07-29] The area immediately surrounding the tower has been used as allotments since the mid 20th century.citeweb|title=Battle to save allotments|last=James|first=Henry|url=http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=6426|date=2008-01-30|publisher=The Champion|accessdate=2008-07-29]Structure
The tower is built in the Romanesque Revival style, constructed of coursed, squared
sandstone , and arranged in a square plan. On each side are two narrow full-height Romanesquearch es, all with stepped surrounds and arch-bands, and linked by an impost band. Above the arches is a plainfrieze with carvedgrotesque s at the corners, topped withmachicolated corbel ling. [cite book|last=Pollard|first=Richard|coauthors=Pevsner, Nikolaus; Sharples, Joseph|title=Lancashire: Liverpool and the Southwest|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Dl_ghLUNVGsC&pg=RA1-PA535&dq=ormskirk+%22water+tower+%22&lr=&num=100&sig=ACfU3U08zEiAWUoZBQi0BnmOSnc-FBOidg#PRA1-PA535,M1|accessdate=2008-07-29|pages=p. 535|publisher=Yale University Press|year=2006|isbn=0300109105]In its present state, the tower stands at a height of approximately convert|17|m|ft. Originally, the stonework was surmounted by a metal water tank with a pitched
slate -covered roof, which added an extra convert|6.2|m|ft to the height of the structure. Due to its poor condition, the tank was removed in the early 1990s.Proposed developments
Planning permission was granted in 1988 for the conversion of the tower into a single dwelling, though the scheme was never implemented. Subsequent applications to convert the tower into offices or an apartment block were either refused or withdrawn. A more recent application for conversion into seven apartments was made in 2004, though this has also been rejected,citeweb|title=Planning Rejection first step to a better heritage landmark|url=http://www.adrianowens.com/news14.htm|date=2007-07-28|publisher=Adrian Owens|accessdate=2008-07-29] and an appeal against the decision was dismissed in April 2008. [citeweb|title=Register of Planning Appeals Received 2007|url=http://www.westlancashire.gov.uk/pdf/Appeal%20Reg%20200713-06-08.pdf|publisher=West Lancashire District Council|pages=p. 10|date=2008-06-13|accessdate=2008-07-29]Development of the site has met with opposition from local residents, and local Conservative
councillor Adrian Owens was amongst critics of the most recent application. [citeweb|title=Consign Water Tower Plan to Reject Bin|url=http://www.adrianowens.com/news8.htm|date=2007-02-27|publisher=Adrian Owens|accessdate=2008-07-29]References
See also
*
Jumbo Water Tower , a water tower of similar design inColchester ,Essex External links
* [http://homepages.tesco.net/~jane.ball2/index.html The Water Tower]
* [http://www.chrisrodgers.co.uk/architectural-project-management/projects/project-item.php?id=9 Refurbishment proposal] from Christopher Rodgers Architectural & Project Management
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