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Westworth Reservoir was built by the Guisborough Water Company around 1871, it has in recent years been abadoned.
I don’t know the exact date of closure and remodelling, but a 2002 report talks about the cross-section of the dam being left.
The overflow tower is the most striking reminder, along with a stone spillway which is gradually becoming overgrown.
A small building and plinth remain for an “interpretation panel” that clearly never materialised.
Plan of Spa Wood workings under the reservoir (triggered by discussion in the comments)
Interesting. I wonder if Lockwood Beck took over from Westworth?
It was built by the Guisborough Water Company and operated by them until they were taken over by the Cleveland and Tees Valley Water Board. (later taken over in turn by NW) I don’t know when it was closed, but I guess that the C&TV Lockwood Beck source superseded it. The Guisborough Water Company supplied water to the town and was a good little earner for the Gisborough estates and the Chaloner family as the reservoir was on their land and they could levy a catchment charge on what one should feel ought to be free. The Water Company records still exist and are with the NYCC records and archives (although they really belong here !)
Im remember swiming in this place in the late 70s early 80s. Although there was still a substantial amount of water in the reservoir back then (it was possible to swim to the overflow tower and dive in) the place was disused and seemed to have been for a long time. I did read somewhere that it was taken out of use becouse of potential subsidence from Spawood mine.
I could never find the exit tunnel from the overflow tower or would this have gone into the pipes.
I’ve attached the abandonment plan of Spa Wood and they mined around the reservoir pretty carefully.
Im sure it says in one of mr Chapmans books that this may not be the case. Its in an interview with an old miner
Indeed it does, Simon will tell me off for not reading his book properly.
It says the place came in and the mine was flooded, the reservoir had cracks and there was a water scare in Guisborough in 1929.
What it doesn’t say however, is if this was smae time that the resorvoir was closed as a water supply. As I stated in an earlier comment 30 years ago the place seemed abandoned although the water level was quite high it was nowhere near the top of the dam. So maybe the cracks were in the top section of the dam but I would have thought so kind of care and maintainance were still taking place to make sure the dam did’nt give way.
Would be interesting to know what promted them do drain the place completely, more movement from the mine perhaps? It also makes you wonder if mining took place under other structures that were officialy ‘worked around’ such as lockwood beck?
From the plans I have none if the mines every got as far as Lockwood Beck