Some good news in from Peter Dunn who is Group Volunteer leader – representing a group of people who give their time to keep a unique piece of canal machinery in working order.
To supply water to the Limpley Stoke valley length of the Kennet and Avon Canal, John Rennie built a waterwheel powered Pumping Station at Claverton, 3 miles from Bath.
Completed in 1813 the pumping station operated continuously until 1952.
For 15 years this remarkable piece of Engineering Heritage lay derelict. In the late 60’s and early 70’s a dedicated group of volunteers from the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust restored the waterwheel, beam engines and pumps to full working order.
Re-opened in 1978 the Claverton Group continue to maintain and operate the Pumping Station.
In 2009 The Pumping Station returned to the support of British Waterways, now the Canal and River Trust. The same volunteer group remain at the site, still maintaining, restoring when required, and running the engine.
Peter tells me: “I am very pleased to announce that the listing status of Claverton Pumping Station has been raised to grade 1
This means that the full protection for the building and machinery is now in place for the future and it now holds the listing it rightly deserves. The Pump House is now protected into its third century.All who have worked at and supported Claverton over the last five decades can be congratulated for a job well done.”
The waterwheel and pumping machinery are housed in a Pump House built of Bath Stone, set on the river Avon at Warleigh Weir, a beautiful setting in the unspoilt Limpley Stoke valley. At this point the canal is cut into the valley side 48 ft. above the river.
Find out more via www.claverton.org
Claverton makes the grade!
