Sywell Reservoir
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Sywell Reservoir is a former drinking water reservoir near the village of Sywell in East Northamptonshire, England.
The reservoir was built at the turn of the 20th century to supply water to the Higham Ferrers and Rushden areas. It operated between 1906 and 1979 and is now a country park run by Northampton County Council. It has an area of 280,000 square metres. The land for the reservoir was purchased from the Stockdale family estate at adjoining Mears Ashby.
The site includes a small tea room and museum; there is also a project which aims to use both oral and written records to interpret the route of the water supply throughout the site. This will allow people to:-
- celebrate the distinctive Edwardian buildings, including a valve tower;
- provide safer access between the buildings;
- record and highlight some of the history of the valley before it was dammed and flooded;
- bring to life a neglected, rare sheep wash dating from the 18th century and
- provide local schools with an educational tool.
