Description

SE 3519 and SE 3520 WARMFIELD-CUM-HEATH HEATH COMMON
(west side)

Dame Mary Bolle's
6/86 Water Tower
including
water wheel
housing and
overflow channel

II*

Water tower perhaps also used as gazebo. Early-mid C17 restored c1985 at time
of resurvey. Large well-coursed gritstone, stone slate roof. 5-stage tower
square-on-plan. Quoins. 1st and 2nd stages are stepped with chamfered band.
3rd and 4th stages have projecting band of square section. West face has plinth
broken by Tudor-arched doorway with composite jambs and chamfered surround.
Right-hand jamb has date "1685", the numerals of true C17 character. Rectangular
ventilator to either side and above door in 2nd stage. 2-light double-chamfered
mullioned window set below eaves of pyramidal roof. East face (rear) has Tudor-
arched doorway with deep lintel and composite jambs to 2nd stage (rectangular
openings above to each stage) and 2-light window under eaves. North and south
faces each have a 2-light window to 2nd stage and under eaves.

Interior: partly-excavated large cistern carved out of bed-rock with large kerb
stones round 2 sides, fed by spring in north-east corner. Large spine beam with
mortices for floor joists to 2nd stage with plastered walls above. Set beyond
and below the west entrance at lower level and partially sunk into side of hill
is remains of C19 cast-iron water-wheel with narrow overflow channel and segmental
arched open roof above. This is approached down 2 flights of 9 stone steps with
with dressed rubble walls to west side with quoins, the angle chamfered.

A unusual building associated with Heath Old Hall (demolished). From it a vista
of the city of Wakefield may be obtained and it is likely it was a viewing tower.
What use the water wheel was put to is uncertain. It may have driven the water
in the cistern to a tank at the top and is thought to have served a nearby
ironworks.

Listing NGR: SE3520119974

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17550195

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Period property manual, victorian house manual 2 books collection set by ian rock
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)