Water pumping station. 1881 by M. O. Tarbotton for [the] Nottingham Corporation. 2 double acting beam engines, 1884, by James Watt & Co. One of three pumping stations built in the late C19 to serve Nottingham City. It is the most ornate and complete of the two which survive. (1)
The machinery is in daily use and the maintenance of the building leaves nothing to be desired. Both engine and boiler house are constructed in red brick and the external embellishments are handsome. Internally the engine house is amongst the most beautiful of its type in the country. The chimney, which is square in plan and 120ft high, is also of pleasing design. Fear of alteration if machinery is replaced (--/09/1964). (3)
A working pumping station of 1884 with twin beam engines, the last of their kind (for pumping) built by James Watt and Co before absorption into Averys Ltd. The setting, the building and the interior decoration are quite outstanding. The decoration in particular, including the windows, is of the best of its period, and the whole is a very fine example of Victorian technology. There are dwelling houses adjoining. (4)
The site is virtually intact comprising chimney, engine house and boiler room, stable block, formal pool, supervisor's house, deputy's house and 3 stoker's cottages, only the coal house was demolished in the 1950s. The engine house has elaborate terracotta work on the outside. The stained glass windows depict the story of water. Inside, the pillars are elaborately decorated with brasswork ibis and fish. Pilfering of the fish in the past means that a number of them have been replaced by replicas, which can be distinguished on a close inspection from the originals. The 6 Lancashire boilers appear to be in very good condition. (5)
Built by Ogle Tarbotton (corporation engineer) in 1881-5. Twin beam-engines of 1884. (8)
Water pumping station. 1881 by M. O. Tarbotton for [the] Nottingham Corporation. (9)
Construction commenced in 1882, the Station was commissioned in 1884 and completed in1885. Papplewick was designed at the end of an era of beam engines which were developed by Thomas Hawksley. (14)
Now owned by Papplewick Pumping Station Trust.
Grid ref centred.

Data Held (Document). SNT2647.

(7), Ind Arch File

Data Held (Document). SNT2647.

Sketch, IS card

Data Held: Ground Photograph (Ground photograph). SNT2646.

21 BW print, SMR

Listed buildings slides, 55 slides (Photograph). SNT2648.

<1> DOE, Listed Building Description (Published document). SNT228.

<2> --/02/1969, Archit Review, pp 84 - 87 (Published document). SNT110.

<3> CBA, Industrial Survey (Published document). SNT184.

Other Refs: IA4 64/1

<4> DOE, 1965, AM7 (Unpublished document). SNT63.

<5> Dodd A, 1988, AM107 (Unpublished document). SNT620.

<6> Smith DM, 1965, The Industrial Archaeology of the East Midlands, p 273 (Published document). SNT1304.

Other Refs: p 150, ill p 216

<7> Reedman K, 1977, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT1180.

<8> Pevsner N, 1979, The Buildings of England: Nottinghamshire 2nd ed., p 288-9 (Monograph). SNT4.

<9> Thoroton Society, 1968, TTS, p 3 (Published document). SNT381.

<10> Thoroton Society, 1972, TTS, p 1 (Published document). SNT385.

<11> Palmer M & Neaverson P, 1992, Industrial Landscapes of the East Midlands, p 111 (Monograph). SNT5.

Other Refs: p 135

<12> Papplewick Pumping Stn. Trust, 1993, Papplewick Pumping Station (Published document). SNT1527.

<13> Thoroton Society, 1995, TTS, p 81-7 (Published document). SNT1525.

<14> Cullen, Robert, 2000, Papplewick Pumping Station Conservation Plan (Published document). SNT1528.