Tower Hill Water Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tower Hill Water Tower |
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The water tower in 2015
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| General information | |
| Type | Water tower |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Location | Ormskirk, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 53°34′10″N 2°52′21″W / 53.56954°N 2.87242°W |
| Construction started | 1853 |
| Completed | 1854 |
| Client | Ormskirk Local Board of Health |
| Height | 17 m (56 ft) |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name: Water tower on Tower Hill | |
| Designated: | 22 March 1976 |
| Reference #: | 1197069 |
The Tower Hill Water Tower is an old water tower in Ormskirk, Lancashire, England. It's a well-known building in the area. Built between 1853 and 1854, it was used to store water for the town. Many people believe it's the oldest water tower still standing in the country. In 1976, it was given a special "Grade II* listed status." This means it's a very important historic building that needs to be protected. It's also on the Heritage at Risk Register, which means it needs some care to keep it safe. The land around the tower has been used for allotments (small gardens) since the middle of the 1900s.
What the Tower Looks Like
The Tower Hill Water Tower was built in a style called Romanesque Revival. This style looks a bit like old Roman buildings. It's made from strong, squared sandstone blocks. The stone is a light red color and probably came from a nearby place called Ruff Wood.
The tower has a square shape. On each of its four sides, you can see two tall, narrow arches. These arches have special stepped designs around them. Above the arches, there's a flat band called a frieze. At the corners of the frieze, you might spot carved grotesques. These are often strange or funny faces. The top of the tower has a decorative edge that looks like small stone blocks sticking out.
How Tall is the Tower?
Today, the stone part of the tower stands about 17 metres (56 ft) (56 feet) tall. When it was first built, there was a large metal water tank on top of the stone tower. This tank had a sloping roof covered with slate. The tank added another 6.2 metres (20 ft) (20 feet) to the tower's height. However, the water tank was removed in the early 1990s because it was in poor condition.
