HOME

P R O F I L E




WATER TOWERS IN BRITAIN

Barton map number 7


In order to display a database of water towers, Britain has been divided into county groups with each group on a separate web page. The starting point is the towers identified in Barton B. (2003) Water Towers of Britain, The Newcomen Society. This data has then been updated.

Click on the small pictures below to reveal all.

Click on website below to return to Water Towers HOME PAGE.



Email: towers@thespas.co.uk (click here to send an email)


Website: Click Here

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Oxfordshire




SHILTON TANK
Shilton, Oxfordshire. (07OX01) This farm tank water tower lies in the small hamlet of Shilton and is shielded by trees making it difficult to spot. Grid ref. 2608.


CARTERTON WATER TOWER
Carterton, Oxford Road, Near Brize Norton Airfield. OX16 9AL. (07OX02) This tower lies on the edge of the Carterton South Industrial Estate, just inside the Brize Norton military establishment.




CHIPPING NORTON WATER TOWER
Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire. (07OX03) On the eastern side of this town. The tower is accessed by a track from the centre of the town but is visible from the A44 road to the north. Grid Ref. 318271.



4 Bampton GONE
5 Hook Norton Tank GONE
6 Shenington GONE, following campaign in 2016 to avoid demolition.
7 Perrots Hill Tank, not found


BANBURY WATER TOWER
Horton General Hospital, Oxford Road, Banbury, Oxfordshire. OX16 9AL. (07OX08) This red brick hospital first opened its doors in 1872 and continues to serve the public as Horton Hospital, a centre for health. Located on a hill top, this tower is a distinct landmark on the outskirts of Banbury. Around it are the modern day and historic buildings associated with this active hospital.



9 Eynsham GONE
10 Shipton on Cherwell - not found
11 Bletchingdon GONE
12 Bovewell, Souldem. This tower appears to have been replaced by a residential cul-de-sac.


BUCKNELL WATER TOWER
On the west side of the M40 in Oxfordshire, near Bicester, this tower was built in 1909 for Bucknall Manor and is Grade II listed. OS Grid Ref. 548248. Also known as Trow Pool water tower, this tower is adjacent to the M40.(07OX13)


14 Hethe GONE
15 Cottisford GONE


MILTON COMMON WATER TOWER
Located by junction 4 of the M40 on the northern side, about 8 miles east of Oxford. It is managed by Thames Water. Grid Ref. 653034.



17 Thame GONE
18 Belmont, Wantage NO SIGN OF WATER TOWER, it may have once stood in the grounds of the 1886 Cottage Hospital in Belmont.


BERINSFIELD WATER TOWER
Located in the village of the same name, about 7 miles south of Oxford; built in 1959, this tower lies prominently in Tower Business Park, Tower Road, alongside a housing estate. It was taken out of service in 2018 pending repairs and has a capacity of just under a million litres of water. Thames Water manage the site at Grid Ref. SU 574 498. (07OX19)




WALLINGFORD WATER TOWER
Wallingford, Oxfordshire. (07OX20) On the outskirts of this historic town. Built in 1959, this water tower holds almost a million litres of water and was recently refurbished by Thames Water to ensure its continued use by the local community. It is 30 metres tall and can be seen for miles around South Oxfordshire. In close proximity is a more recent housing development in Beeching Way OX10 0TG. One of the buildings that survived the redevelopment of the area in this road, was part of the water pumping station.




21 Cookley Green - not found.

PORTOBELLO WATER TOWER
Christmas Common, Oxfordshire. (07OX22) This tower lies about one mile north of Christmas Common on the eastern side of Oxfordshire. It is on the right, heading north, just before Hill Road on the left. Grid Ref. 722946.






23 Wolvercote, not found

UPPER HAYFORD WATER TOWER
Upper Hayford has a former military airfield and the tower is believed to have existed on this site. It lies just east of the Oxford Canal about 5 miles north-west of Bicester. (07OX24) Grid Ref. 510269. The tower in the picture has more recently functioned as a look-out point but is thought to be the original water tower.



BIGNELL PARK WATER TOWER
(07OX25). OX26 1TD. This tower lies about 2 miles south-west of Bicester. Bignell Park is a large country estate and the tower lies on its western perimeter. To view it take the A 4095 west from the village of Chesterton, with the estate on your right. Just after the end of the estate, there is a track north (right). The tower lies at the end of the track. Grid Ref. 552224.



BICESTER WATER TOWER
(07OX26). Caversfield lies to the north of Bicester and the tower is situated on a former RAF establishment. The tower lies in Trenchard Lane, off Skimmingdish Lane, and is a red brick structure that was once part of the former Power Station. OX27 8UW.




WANTAGE WATER TOWER
(07OX27). Speculation: it may be incorporated in the St Mary's Convent buildings, Denchworth Road, Wantage. OX12 9AU. (near Belmont).



MILTON HILL WATER TOWER
(07OX28). Lies in Grove Farms just off the western side of the A 4130. Milton Hill lies about 4 miles east of Wantage. The buildings here appear to be part of an historic military establishment or similar and are now used by a number of enterprises Grid Ref. 474902.





DIDCOT STEAM RAILWAY CENTRE WATER TOWER (07OX29a) Station Road, Didcot. OX11 7NJ. This popular steam railway museum and centre has two water towers. The main one is also a coal loading facility for the steam locomotives. It contains 48,000 gallons of water that feed the steam engines using the trackside pipes. There is also a second tower. DIDCOT RAILWAY BRANCH LINE WATER TOWER.(07OX29B) The second water tower is at the station on the branch line within this living museum of the Great Western Railway. Click right to view it from the guards compartment of a steam train.

Berkshire



1 Chilton Foliat
2 South Fawley - could not be found


BRIGHTWALTON WATER TOWER
Located on the north-west side of the village of Brightwalton. The village is about 6 miles south of Wantage. (07BK03) Thames Water are the operators of this facility. Grid Ref: 4279





FARNBOROUGH WATER TOWER
The village of Farnborough where this tower is located, is about 5 miles south-south-east of Wantage. (07BK04) Grid Ref: 4382. Thames Water are the operators.



WASH COMMON WATER TOWER
Located about a mile south-west of Newbury, adjacent to the Wash Common Recreation Ground, off Battle Road. This tower is operated by Thames Water. (07BK05) Grid Ref: SU 4564. Barton suggests that there is a second water tower in Newbury?




SNELSMORE WATER TOWER
Bussock Hill, Chieveley. The tower lies to the south-west of Chievely. (07BK06) Grid Ref: 4571. Thames Water are the operators.




DOWNEND CHIEVELEY WATER TOWER
Old Water Tower, RG20 8TP. Lying to the north of Chieveley, this former site of a water tower was redeveloped as a residential property 2013-5. The conversion was carried out on the basis that the original tower was unsightly. The resulting house was completed April 2015 by Tom Gresford of TPWG Ltd. (07BK07) It bears no relationship to the original tower other than its location and differs considerably from other adjacent dwellings in presentation and design.


GREENHAM WATER TOWER
Pigeons Farm Road, Greenham, Newbury, Berks. Now located on the roadside in a modern housing estate south of Newbury race course, it was built to supply water to the United States Airforce at Greenham Common. Built in 1985, it has a capacity of 700 cu metres of water. (07BK08) Grid Ref: 4865.


FRILSHAM WATER TOWER
This tower is located on Frilsham Common, just south of the M4 motorway and Yattendon village. (07BK09) Grid Ref: 550735. The erection of the Water Tower after the Second World War brought mains water to the village. Thames Water operate the facility today.





BOWER FARM WATER TOWER
The farm lies to the north of Aldworth village and the tower can be seen on the right from the lane running north. (07BK10) Grid Ref: 555804.


TADLEY WATER TOWER
Although known for its location near Tadley, it would be more accurate to call it Brimpton Common. It is located in a triangle of roads which include an industrial estate known as Calleva Park. Surrounded by tall trees, this monster tower is best viewed from near the Fidus building on the estate. It was built in 1975 at a cost of £271,000, a substantial sum in those days when you could buy a family house for £10,000. The capacity of this giant is 750,000 gallons. Grid Ref. SU 582628. (07BK11)


BURGHFIELD WATER TOWER
Padworth Road, Burghfield, Reading. (07BK12) Surrounded by woodland, it lies on the perimeter of Burghfield Common. This tower is guarded by a steel fence that makes it difficult to photograph.


PARK LANE WATER TOWER
Tilehurst, Reading RG31 4DU. (07BK13) Reservoir, tower and water booster station, next door to 146 Park Lane. The Water Tower public house and restaurant are nearby at 160 Park Lane. The tower, built in 1931/2, holds a huge 900,000 litres of water, in two 4.5 metre deep tanks. A plaque on the wall commemorates the opening on the 21st October. See picture at the foot of this page.


NORCOT ROAD WATER TOWER
Lies in Sona Gardens, between 54 and 54A Norcot Road, Reading, RG30 6BU. (07BK14) The tower is residential and now comprises six flats. Grade II listed.


BATH ROAD WATER TOWER
44 Bath Road, Reading. RG30 2AX. (07BK15) The site was acquired by Reading Borough Council in 1868, and the water tower built in 1870. This tower was managed by Thames Water who sought alternative uses. It is now residential with 6 flats and next door to Beacher Hall Care Home.


EMMER GREEN WATER TOWER
On the corner of Tower Close and Peppard Road, Reading. (07BK16) The tower was built in 1957 at Emmer Green in Reading. This tower is managed by Thames Water. (07BK16)


EARLEY WATER TOWER
Reading. PG2 8EG. (07BK17) Located adjacent to Whiteknights Primary School, this tower is managed by Thames Water.


FARLEY HILL WATER TOWER
Castle Hill road, just north of Farley Hill village, Reading. (07BK18) A tall concrete tower on eight legs in woodland adjacent to the road, this tower is managed by Thames Water. Grid Ref. SU750 649.






19 Buckhurst, Bracknell - could not find.
20 Windsor GONE
21 Slough GONE
22 Chilton Foliat House - Wiltshire
23 Arborfield Barracks (Extinct - now Arborfield Shopping Centre)




Tilehurst, Reading RG31 4DU. The Water Tower public house and restaurant at 160 Park Lane.






REGION

England - Southern, WATER TOWER INTEREST

(C)Copyright The Spas Research Fellowship. To contact the SRF, email: srf@thespas.co.uk or mail to: Tower House, Tower Road, Tadworth, Surrey. KT20 5QY. UK