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Summary

Description

Circa 1938. Tall 6-bay gabled former pump house part of a significant and large grouping of military structures at Lyness situated next to Scapa Flow. Perpendicular protruding gabled range to the east. Separate raised metal water tank to the west. Predominantly steel frame construction with rendered brick walls, and thickened concrete base course to cill height. North and south elevations have 3 bays and a blind oculus in the centre bay. Multi-pane metal windows with hopper openings.

The interior, accessed via doors to the west and north elevations, was seen in 2013 and is divided into 2 spaces, a boiler room and a pump room. Most of the machinery needed to pump oil, such as engines, boilers and pumps, remains in situ.

Statement of Special Interest

The former pump house is an exceptionally rare surviving example of a Second World War building and is part of an important group of buildings put in place to supply the Royal Navy stationed in Scapa Flow immediately before, during and after the Second World War. The pumphouse contains rare surviving and largely unaltered machinery and it forms part of a wider group with other significant military buildings associated with the First and Second World War in the area (see separate listings).

There is an additional pump house nearby which also served the base at Lyness (see separate listing) and it is of similar date however the fuel there was pumped by steam engine rather than diesel engine. The two pump house buildings at Lyness are the only surviving pump houses of their type in Scotland and the only surviving examples of out of the four Admiralty fuel stations built in Scotland.

The installation at Lyness was used to pump fuel to and from the underground storage tanks in Wee Fea, Hoy. The machinery required for this process remians intact and includes the diesel engines, pumps and associated plant. The technology and materials used for the construction and operation are thought to have been amongst the most advanced of the period.

Prior to the First World War, Britain was considered to be most at risk of attack from continental Europe and the British Navy was based on the south coast of England. However the changing political situation at the beginning of the 20th century meant that the threat changed to focus on the German Navy in the Baltic sea. It was this, combined with the geography of the Orkney Islands which was the impetus for moving part of the Grand Fleet to Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands. Scapa Flow is is one of the world's largest natural harbours and it is mostly enclosed by surrounding islands, including Hoy, where Lyness overlooks Scapa Flow.

The enormous impact on the Orkney Islands of both World Wars has left us with an important legacy of military structures, many of which do not survive elsewhere in the UK.

By 1942 the naval base at Lyness supported thousands of military and civilian personnel. Lyness would became a self-contained town that provided accommodation and recreational facilities for the service men and women who were stationed there during both World Wars. In 1957 the Royal Naval base at Lyness was decommissioned and the pump house operation ceased. Orkney Islands Council purchased the former pump house site in 1980.

Previous Scheduled Monument, previously scheduled as 'Lyness, Hoy, Diesel Pumping Station'. Listed as part of the review of Lyness (2014).

References

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