High Park Reservoir

Disused Victorian-era reservoir in Liverpool, England

High Park Reservoir (also known as Toxteth Reservoir) is a disused reservoir in the Toxteth district of Liverpool, England. Water for the reservoir was enclosed in a brick-built, sandstone-clad building. The building still stands and is opened to visitors for special occasions and events.

High Park Reservoir

High Park Reservoir, as seen in 2013

Alternative names| Toxteth Reservoir
General information
Status| Not used for water storage since 1997, now used as an events space
Type| Reservoir
Classification| Grade II listed
Address| High Park Street, Toxteth, L8
Town or city| Liverpool
Country| England
Coordinates| 53°23′11″N 2°57′51″W﻿ / ﻿53.3863°N 2.9643°W﻿ / 53.3863; -2.9643
Opened| 1853
Closed| 1997 (for use as a reservoir)
Dimensions
Other dimensions| 53.5 m (176 ft) x 67 m (220 ft)
Technical details
Material| Sandstone and brick
Design and construction
Architect(s)| Thomas Duncan[1]
Other information
Public transit access| Brunswick railway station
References
Historic England, ref. 1279691

## History

[edit]

Opening in 1853, the reservoir provided fresh water to the rapidly growing city of Liverpool.[2] This was especially important given the prevalence of cholera at the time. The reservoir's height above parts of the city meant that it also provided a head of water for fighting fires at the city's docks.

Capable of holding approximately 2 million gallons, it was fed with fresh water from Rivington Pike in the West Pennine Moors and a spring in the Lodge Lane area of Liverpool. The building served as a reservoir for 140 years before its closure in 1997. It was given Grade II listed building status in June 1985.[3]

After a period of being left unused, the building has been used as a community space and events venue. It is not normally open to visitors, but there is an annual Heritage Day Open Event that allows people to see inside.[4] The building has proven useful as a location for filming, and has been used in Peaky Blinders.[5]

As part of Liverpool's Biennual celebrations in 2016, the building was used as an art installation for a piece by Rita McBride, called Portal.[6] In 2018 it was again used for an installation, called AURORA.[7]

## Architecture

[edit]

Historic England describe the building as: "Retaining wall and corner tower to reservoir. 1855. Probably T. Duncan. Snecked stone. Battered wall with top roll moulding, approximately 53.5m x 67m. Entrance with studded door at right hand end of main facade; plaque with Liver bird over. Round tower above has broaches, slits and corbelled top."[3]

The building has a flat roof, covered in grass, which offers good all round views of the city.

## See also

[edit]

Architecture of Liverpool

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Sharples & Pollard (2004), p. 273
2. ^ Weston, Alan (1 August 2021). "Stunning reservoir and tower you can spot during Peaky Blinders". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
3. ^ a b "TOXTETH RESERVOIR, RETAINING WALLS AND CORNER TOWER, Non Civil Parish - 1279691 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
4. ^ Rand, Lisa (7 September 2019). "Chance to look inside Liverpool reservoir that's starred in Peaky Blinders". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
5. ^ Weston, Alan (1 August 2021). "Stunning reservoir and tower you can spot during Peaky Blinders". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
6. ^ "Toxteth Reservoir | Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art". www.biennial.com. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
7. ^ "Video: 'Walk on water' in an amazing immersive tour of Toxteth Reservoir". Liverpool Business News. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

Sources

* Sharples, Joseph; Pollard, Richard (2004), Liverpool, Pevsner Architectural Guides, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, ISBN 0-300-10258-5