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Summary

Description

1875, with second phase completed 1888. Edinburgh and District Water Works Alnwickhill Reservoir Complex, by J & A Leslie, Engineers, built by James Young and Son, Contractors, comprising a 15 million gallon RESERVOIR, 4 and a half million gallon settling TANK (open), 2 and a half million gallon settling TANK (open), both slow sand filters and brick-lined TUNNEL network feeding 2 outlet houses.

OUTLET HOUSE 1 (NT 2730/6890): 1 of 2 classical (Roman) single storey outlet houses for service reservoirs, coursed, stugged ashlar with polished ashlar dressings; base course, rusticated quoins, margins with chamfered arrises, eaves course and cornice. Stone slabbed roof.

S ELEVATION: central 6-panelled door in heavy pedimented and consoled, architraved surround. Engraved ashlar panels above and flanking giving names and dates of works. Arrow-slit window to each slide. Pedimented gable above, acroteria with anthemion.

SIDE ELEVATIONS: each with 2 windows, bracketted cills, ashlar surrounds, former windows louvred at top in timber replaced with aluminium frames.

INTERIOR: building houses water filters, cantilevered stone inspection walkway around walls with steel rails and mesh, walls coursed stugged ashlar, lined in tiled brick below water level. Stone arches leading off into brick- vaulted storage tanks.

Paths and stone steps outside building originally paved in ashlar, with moulded drainage channel now with concrete flagstones.

OUTLET HOUSE 2 (NT 2731/6899): built at top of steep slope near entrance to complex (into slope at rear). Materials and dressings as above.

S ELEVATION: central 6-panelled door in heavy pedimented and consoled, architraved surround. Pedimented gable with dies above.

SIDE ELEVATIONS: each with 2 windows, bracketted cills, ashlar surrounds.

INTERIOR: as above. Roof braced with steel trusses.

Statement of Special Interest

Plaques flanking door of Outlet House 1 date project: Scheme projected 1873, Act Obtained 1874, Works Commenced 1875, Works Opened 1879, Scheme Completed 1885, J & A Leslie Engineers. Contractors are also named on cast-iron grid elsewhere on site. The reservoir is a gravity fed system, (there is no pumping equipment) drawing water from Moorfoot (Gladhouse), Crawly Springs and Tala reservoirs. The water is stored in the reservoir, drawn into the open settling tanks and Outlet houses which it leaves in pipes to supply East Edinburgh. Water treatment chemicals are supplied from the modern building near the main gates. A brick filter system remains to the S of the site, near the former Superintendent's House, now in private ownership which is listed separately.

References

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