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WONDERFUL WATER TOWERS IN BRITAINBarton map number 11
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.
Website: Click Here ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Cambridgeshire  WITTERING WATER TOWER (11CA01) Water tower at RAF Wittering, west of City of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, East of England. A somewhat interestingly shaped tower at the eastern end of the original military airfield. Grid. Ref. 051 025. For the UK, this is a really unusual style of water tower. It was built in 1964 and reportedly holds just over 1,000,000 litres of water. This style of tower is known as a Spheroid.  THORNEY WATER TOWER (11CA01) Bedford Hall is a historic, multi-purpose community building located on Station Road in Thorney, Cambridgeshire, PE6 0QE, serving as a local heritage museum, event venue for weddings and parties, and housing the fire station. Built in the mid 19th century, and restored in 1981, it's a Grade II listed building. It includes a 96ft high water tower supplying fresh water to the 19th century village (which now includes modern residential development) and sewerage pumping facilities. Thorney is about 7 miles east of Peterborough, Grid Ref. 28 04.  NEWTON WATER TOWER (11CA03) Newton-in-the-Isle is a village in the Fenland District of the Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire. The village is 4 miles (6 km) to the north of Wisbech. Not to be confused with Newton, South Cambridgeshire. In 2016 Newton reverted to its earlier name of Newton-in-the-Isle. This was done due to issues distinguishing between other villages of the same name. Some similar towers in other "Newtons" (like Newton Aycliffe or Newton-le-Willows) have been demolished. This tower lies just to the north-west of Newton-in-the-Isle on the Tyde St Giles road. Grid Ref. 427 152.  FRIDAY BRIDGE WATER TOWER (11CA04) In 1884 the Wisbech Water Order allowed for increased local supply of good water and the construction of this brick water tower in Friday Bridge to supply March and Chatteris. This water tower dates from 1894 and was for the Wisbech Water Works Company. The top level contains a 100,000 gallon tank. It is a Grade II listed water tower viewed from March Road. Grid Ref. 463 047.  THREE SHIRES WATER TOWER (11CA05) Water Tower near Three Shires Stone where Cheshire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire meet in the Peak District west of Covington. The tower is located just east of Hargrave on the B 645 road at Grid Ref. 047 706.  PERRY WATER TOWER (11CA06) The property comprises a large 1950's water tower together with surrounding land in Crow Spinney Lane, Perry, Cambridgeshire, PE28 0SS. This tower was abandoned leaving the concrete elevated tank plus one third of an acre of land, for sale for possible conversion to residential. It was auctioned 2023 for £290,000. However it appeared later on market for £350.000. The location is south of Grantham Water between Parry and HM Prison Littlehey. Grid Ref. 147 667. 7 Ellington 8 Eaton Socon  GRAFHAM WATER TOWER (11CA09) This tower gives a slightly different meaning to Water Tower. Grafham Water, a large area of inland lake south-east of Huntingdon, accommodates a tower. The tower on Grafham Water, known as the Valve Tower, is a key part of the reservoir's infrastructure, used for controlling water flow, aeration, and managing the intake/outtake of water for drinking supplies to nearby areas like Bedfordshire and North London. It's a functional structure for Anglian Water, also visible to visitors enjoying water sports and nature at the popular leisure site. The tower is only reachable by boat; there is no dry land within the grid square. It is best viewed by those on dry land from Hill Farm, where this photo was taken. The Grid Ref. for the tower is 146 689.  CONINGTON WATER TOWER (11CA10) Water tower at Conington (RAF/US Glatton) was built to serve the wartime Conington/Glatton airfield. The tank is now in a poor state of repair. Glatton Air Base Water Tower memorial plaque in memory of The U.S. Army Eighth Air Force 1st Air Division 94th Combat Wing, is located by the tower, the tower being the only surviving significant structure at this former World War II airbase. Although the base was called Glatton it was actually near the village of Conington but called Glatton to avoid confusion with another airfield at Coningsby in Lincolnshire. Conington and Glatton and the water tower are by the A1, Grid Ref. 17 85, north of Sawtry.  ABBOTS RIPTON WATER TOWER (11CA11) Clay Lane, Abbots Ripton, Cambridgeshire. Grid Ref. TL 22331 78275. The village of Abbots Ripton lies a couple of miles just east of the A1(T) road north of Huntingdon. The tower is by the road bridge over the north-south railway just west of the village.  HINCHINGBROOKE WATER TOWER (11CA12) Built in 1935, the Hinchingbrooke Water Tower is located on Brampton Road in Huntingdon, near the railway station and Hinchinbrooke Park and House. Travellers heading west on the A14 get a stunning view of the upper parts of the tower as it sits close to the carriageway. Grid Ref. TL 2318 7182. The tower, between Views Common and the railway station, was built to provide pressure for 450 tonnes of mains water for the town. It has been disused since the 1970s and was sold by Anglian Water after a new larger water tower off St Peter's Road took over.  SAPLEY WATER TOWER (11CA13) St Peter's Road, Huntingdon. Grid Ref. TL 23862 74087. In 1965 is was described as "new". It sits up on the hill above Huntingdon, just off the A141 and not far from Tesco’s. Anglian Water had a good video showing an ascent of the outside of the tower in a cherry picker. 14 Offord (Godmanchester) This tower, it is thought, was located in open countryside south of Huntingdon and east of Offord Cluny. Grid Ref. 242 675. It is widely believed that the tower has been demolished.  YELLING WATER TOWER (11CA15) Yelling is a village about 10 miles south of Huntingdon. The tower is located in open countryside about half a mile east of the village centre on the road to Little Paxton. Grid Ref. 248 625. In 2024 a planning application was submitted by Tower Farm for 0.5 hectares of land located to the north of High Street, Yelling, opposite the Yelling Water Tower. The application sought approval for a change of use of the site from equestrian to a mixed use of equestrian and gypsy/traveller residential use. At the time a mobile home had been erected on site, hence the application was ‘retrospective’ but it was not occupied. Could the tower become the landmark for a new community?  WHITTLESEY WATER TOWER (11CA16) Water tower, Whittlesey, PE7 1LE, adjacent to the Peterborough Road. It is a prominent local landmark near Peterborough, known for its distinctive appearance in the Cambridgeshire landscape. Water Tower park is a children's play area in Whittlesey. The Whittlesey tower was taken out of service in the 1990s and auctioned at the Cafe Royal in Regent Street, London, with a guide price of £30,000. Despite speculation that it might end up as a cafe or private home, it has remained empty and is used as a high point in the Fens that mobile phone masts are attached to. The land and playing field is maintained by Fenland District Council. The tower and park is to the west of the town, Grid Ref. TL 259 975.  GREAT GRANSDEN WATER TOWER (11CA17) Great Gransden Water Tower, off Caxton Road near Duncton Poultry Farm, Great Gransden. This location is to the north-east of the residential area which in turn is about 7 miles east-south-east of St Neots. Grid Ref TL 278 564.  RAMSEY WATER TOWER (11CA18) Ramsey Water Tower is a large tower right on the south-western edge of the residential area of Ramsey. Grid Ref. TL 278 843. Ramsey is about 12 miles south-east of Peterborough. The town of Ramsey owes its existence to the foundation here of Ramsey Abbey, which was established on an island in the middle of marshland around AD 969. The tower is on the edge of an area designated Ramsey Camp which dates from World War II. Built as a searchlight battery unit in 1939, the Camp is situated on the outskirts of Ramsey and holds events all year round, most famously in August when the 30 acre site attracts thousands of visitors to the Ramsey 1940s Weekend. It has 5 buildings including the NAAFI, parade of shops and Drill Hall, each being restored sympathetically to maintain their 1940s features. The whole site is available for both corporate and private hire.  WYTON WATER TOWER (11CA19) Water tower at RAF Wyton, Wyton-on-the-Hill, PE28 2EF, between Huntingdon and St Ives. Grid Ref. 280 739. RAF Wyton is a UK Strategic Command Station and home to the National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence (NCGI), which provides intelligence support to UK Armed Forces on operations globally. RAF Wyton opened in 1916 as a training establishment for the Royal Flying Corps. The airfield is now decommissioned.  LONGSTOWE WATER TOWER (11CA20) Longstowe is about 10 miles west of Cambridge on the western side of the A1198. The tower is about a mile south-west of the village. Grid Ref. TL 295 535. The tower was decommissioned by Cambridge Water in 2019 as a result of persistent leaks and problems of old age. 21 Warboys 22 Bourn 
 BLUNTISHAM WATER TOWERS (11CA23) Two towers - old and new constructed close together on the western side of Bluntisham, north-east of St Ives. Grid Ref. 360 751. PE28 3LE. Bluntisham has two water towers, known locally as the "old" and "new," likely because they served different phases of water supply development or provided increased capacity/pressure for expanding demand, a common reason for multiple towers in one area before modern pumping made them less essential.  OVER WATER TOWER, (11CA24) Over lies about 8 miles north-west of Cambridge. The tower lies to the east of the village along the road to nearby Willingham. Take the track heading south off the Willingham Road near Coldharbour Farm. Grid Ref. 385 698  CHATTERIS WATER TOWER, (11CA25) Chatteris lies north-east of Huntingdon. The tower is located in Eastwood and managed by Anglia Water. A water tower once stood on the west side of London Road, Chatteris also. In 1884 the Wisbech Water Order had allowed for increased supply of water and the construction of a water tower at Friday Bridge to supply March (to the north) and Chatteris. It was built for the Wisbech Water Works Company. The top stage contained a 100,000 gallon tank. The locality of this earlier tower is now being developed for residential housing.  MADINGLEY WATER TOWER, (11CA26) This metal tank on stilts can be found on the St. Neots Road, just south of the village of Madigley. Grid Ref. 394 595. Madigley lies just west of Cambridge. The A 45 St Neots Road runs west from Madigley after it joins the A1303. The tower is on the southern side of the junction, down a short track. The water tower is part a project to supply water to Cambridge using a reservoir near Madingley. This was completed in 1855, three years after Cambridge University and Town Water Company had received approval. A newer reservoir was built in the area in 1994.  COTTENHAM WATER TOWER, (11CA27) In 1898 this tower was converted from a windmill to a water tower with a circular metal tank supported by a white painted mill tower. This was after the Cottenham Gas and Water Company purchased it. It is now a listed building. Cottenham lies about 4 miles north of Cambridge. The tower is located in Manse Drive, off Lambs Lane which branches off the road to Rampton, a village nearby to the west. Approx. Grid Ref. 43 67.  SUTTON WATER TOWER, (11CA28) Sutton Water Tower managed by Anglian Water. The tower holds half a million litres and was built in 1924. Sutton Water Tower Burst - Fen Times extract, January 22nd 1926: "Much excitement was caused at Sutton when one of the main water pipes of the water tower burst owing to the frost, and thousands of gallons from the great tank poured out through the breach. Occupants of the houses in close proximity to the tower had an anxious time. The water poured out in a stream into the front garden of one of the cottages. It seemed probable that the lower rooms of the house would be flooded. Fortunately, however, it was found possible to divert the water to a nearby ditch." Grid Ref. 552 818. Sutton lies about 6 miles west of Ely.  HADDENHAM WATER TOWER, (11CA29) The new Water Tower was built in 1968 to replace the earlier one which had become a Haddenham landmark. This was made necessary by the rapid expansion of the village at this time. This huge tower can be seen for miles around. It holds a massive 2.7 million litres of treated water which comes from a borehole at Isleham nearby. Haddenham lies about 5 miles south-west of Ely. The tower is managed by Anglian Water and is near the centre of Haddenham, Grid Ref. 467 751.  SAWSTON WATER TOWER, (11CA30) Located on Babraham Road. Grid Ref. TL 4849. The village has a history that dates back to medieval times. The water tower is not quite that old! Nevertheless, this rather stylish concrete tower is likely to be of interest to water tower enthusiasts, albeit located in the centre of modern housing. To continue your voyage of discovery click right  TOWER ROAD ELY WATER TOWER, (11CA31) The original Ely water tower built with 618,000 local bricks in 1853 in Tower Road. It was in use up until 1939. The massive modern day tower, as illustrated, is also in Tower Road which is located in the southern part of the town. Grid Ref. 534 798.  QUEEN ADELAIDE WATER TOWER (11CA32)Ely. The Queen Adelaide hamlet lies to the north of Ely between the River Great Ouse and the A 10 road. It includes a conglomeration of railway junctions and a hospital as well as ever increasing residential accommodation. Queen Adelaide now has a population of around 250 people. It did not exist until a railway network reached Ely in the 19th century and a pub was built – the Queen Adelaide, which gave the hamlet its name. The pub itself was named after a British queen, Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen. She was the wife of King William IV, who reigned over Great Britain and Ireland between 1830 and 1837, and the aunt of Queen Victoria. The tower is located on the western side of the locality. Grid Ref. 553817. To continue your voyage of discovery click right.  LITTLEPORT WATER TOWERS (11CA31) Littleport water tower is a most imposing water tower in Grange Lane on the south side of Littleport. The low-lying nature of the Fens means that a head of water for the whole locality must be provided by this massive tower. Its creation involved replacing an older, cracked concrete tower with a large metal one around 1931 to serve the village, sourcing supply from natural springs and boreholes. This new elevated storage was crucial for reliable water pressure and capacity, especially before modern mains connections became universal in the area. Littleport is north of Ely and the tower is on the south side of Littleport. Grid Ref. 561 858, 33 Saffron Cl, Littleport, CB6 1HR.  LINTON WATER TOWER, (11CA34) Click right for a view of the southern aspect of Linton Water Tower on Rivey Hill, Linton, Cambridge, CB21 4LG. The 98-foot (30 metre) high tower is a grade II listed building. It was built in 1935–1936 in Art Deco style, and underwent major restoration work in 2018–2019. Unusually for its date, it was constructed in brick rather than concrete, in order to harmonise with the landscape. It is located just north of Linton. Grid Ref. 567 479, about 10 miles south-east of Cambridge.  SWAFFHAM PRIOR WATER TOWER, (11CA35) 11 Mill Hill, Swaffham Prior, Cambridge, CB25 0JZ. Grid Ref. TL 572 642. Swaffham Prior is about 7 miles north-east of Cambridge.  BALSHAM WATER TOWER (11CA36)Located in Balsham and placed on the highest point in the area, the tower can be seen for some distance in many directions. It is owned by the small local Cambridge Water Company. To continue your voyage of discovery click right.  FORDHAM WATER TOWER, (11CA37) This water tower is located between Soham and Fordham along the A 142 road. Grid Ref. TL 614 715. These small towns lie north of Newmarket. Sometimes referred to as Soham Water Tower, it was built in 1922. The site of the water works adjoins the main Soham to Fordham road. Here was erected this magnificent water tower, substantially built in red brick making it a local landmark. It is owned by Anglian Water and also acts as a site for masts.  SHUDY CAMPS WATER TOWER (11CA38)Shudy Camps and Mill Green are two localities about 3 miles west of Haverhill. The tower lies between them and is often named after either. Grid Ref. 624 452. To continue your voyage of discovery click right.  BURROUGH GREEN WATER TOWER HOUSE, (11CA39) This magnificent water tower has been converted to a private residence near Burrough Green. This locality is about 6 miles south of Newmarket. The tower is on the B1061 by Harlocks Moor Farm between Dullingham and Burrough Green. Grid Ref. TL 632 564.  WOODDITTON GREEN WATER TOWER HOUSE, (11CA40) Another magnificent water tower that would possibly make a superb conversion to a private residence This locality is about 5 miles south of Newmarket. The tower is at the western end of Woodditton village. Grid Ref. TL 657 583. It is suggested by Wolf Thawra on-line "just cut large windows into the side and add a winch-operated system to heave up goods. I'd suggest keeping one half as a double-height living room with huge windows, and the other half as two storeys with bedrooms etc., and of course a roof terrace up top. It'll also keep you fit with the number of stairs you have to climb to get home." 41 Saxon Street  COLLEYWESTON WATER TOWER (11CA42) Near RAF Wittering. Collyweston is a village at the western end of the Wittering Airfield used by the RAF. Stamford is about 4 miles north. The water tower is located at the south-eastern side of Collyweston village, just off Kingscliffe Road. Grid Ref. 999 024.  RAF HOSPITAL ELY WATER TOWER (11CA43)Groundwork for the hospital was started as far back as 1937, although actual construction started in 1939. By June 1940, the hospital was opened with a capacity of 197 beds. Many RAF hospitals were opened in the Second World War period, due to their location in East Anglia where many RAF bases existed. The Ely site was closed by the RAF in July 1992, but was taken over as an NHS as a community hospital. Grid Ref. TL 533 798 The tower is situated to the north of Ely city center, near the junction of Lynn Road and the A10/Chettisham area. To continue your voyage of discovery click right. 
The Water Tower - Ypres Belgium - World War One postcard. FACILITIES Tourism Information REGION England - Northern, WATER TOWER INTEREST |
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