Waterworks House and Cottage with Outhouses to rear

Summary

A pair of gable-fronted semi-detached houses built in the gothic style, and a pair of brick outhouses to the rear, formerly accommodation associated with the Whitacre Waterworks dating to about 1872.

Reasons for Designation

Waterworks House and Cottage with outhouses to the rear are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* for the Gothic design with particular attention given to high qualilty brickwork detailing, window dressings and a conical tower, stylistic elements which make reference to the design of Whitacre Waterworks;

* for their association with prominent architectural firm Martin and Chamberlin as part of a large scale design.
Historic interest:

* the houses are a good example of amenities to utility infrastructure built during the mid-late-C19

Group value:

* the houses have a strong association with Whitacre Waterworks (Grade II*; NHLE 1265889)

History

Waterworks House and Cottage are a pair of dwelling houses associated with the former pumping station located to the north - the Waterworks at Whitacre (NHLE 1265889; Grade II*). The Waterworks were designed by John Henry Chamberlain and William Martin, and it is likely that the houses were designed alongside the Waterworks.

The Birmingham Water Company Act was passed in 1870 and authorised the extraction of water from the Burton and Blythe Rivers. The Whitacre Reservoir was subsequently created in 1871, with the building of an engine house with boiler house on the site following in 1872. The houses were built as accommodation for the Waterworks Manager and the Foreman, with a Site Office included in the Foreman’s house.

The houses first appear on the 1888 OS map and are understood to have been built contemporarily with the Waterworks. The original deeds for Waterworks Cottage confirm a date of 1871. The footprint of the properties has remained unchanged from the 1888 OS map, however there is a suggestion that Waterworks Cottage was extended to the side in the early-C20 to create additional living space.

Details

A pair of gable-fronted semi-detached houses built in the gothic style, and a pair of brick outhouses to the rear, formerly accommodation associated with the Whitacre Waterworks dating to about 1872.

MATERIALS: the houses are constructed of red brick, with stone dressings and a tiled roof.

PLAN: the pair of houses form an irregular plan, with detached outhouses to the rear of the properties.

EXTERIOR: the houses are each two bays, with a centrally located doorway. Waterworks House has an additional recessed wing to the south, which is two bays, one windowless, with a pitched roof.

The outer bays to both houses have a pair of casement windows on the ground floor, set within gothic, pointed arches. Above there is a single window within a flush gothic arch. The inner bays each have a single window to the ground and first floor. To the rear of the Waterworks Cottage is an additional circular bay with conical roof, providing views across to the associated Waterworks. Both Waterworks House and Cottage have a single-storey extension to the rear, dating to the late C20 and early C21 respectively.

The roofline is punctuated with front-facing gables; those to the outer bays are oversized. There are six large chimney stacks evenly spaced throughout the roof. A late C20 rooflight has been inserted to Waterworks House at the rear.

The windows in both properties are all understood to be replacement casements with the exception of those in the upper storey of the turret.

INTERIOR: the interior of Waterworks House has been largely unaltered, and retains numerous fireplaces throughout. The architrave and doors also largely survive.

The interior of Waterworks Cottage has been more altered, with the removal of an internal staircase which provided access to the upstairs Waterworks offices. Upstairs, a stud wall was inserted in the early-C21 to subdivide the original office space which ran from the front to the rear of the building in order to create two bedrooms. A wall has been removed which divided the property between office and accommodation to create one property. The fireplaces in the property were inserted during the early-C21. Similarly to Waterworks House, the doors and architrave survive, as well as some floor coverings.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: in the garden of each property, is a detached outhouse. Designed in a similar style to the houses, they are red brick with tiled pitched roofs and plank doors. It is understood that the original plumbing is no longer extant.

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Wedgewood, A, The Buildings of England: Warwickshire, (1990), 470

Other
1888 OS map

End of official list entry

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