Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB16/02/026

Address :
Water screening house Silent Valley reservoir Head Road Kilkeel Newry Co Down BT34 4PU

Townland:
Carrigenagh Upper

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
15/03/1996 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Water Works Structures

Former Use
Water Works Structures

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
Yes

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
278/4

IG Ref:
J3073 2160

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Owner Category

Central Govt

Exterior Description And Setting

One-storey building containing water screening plant. Of rock-faced granite blocks in irregular courses over chamfered projecting base and embellished with stepped ashlar granite quoins and oversailing ashlar parapet to flat concrete roof. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Metal roller shutter door on south-west façade, with ashlar granite surround. Paired 1/1 windows (top opening, bottom hung), also with ashlar surrounds (chamfered cills). ‘1950’ datestone over door, with bronze plaques either side. That to left details the duplicate aqueduct which this screening plant services, and also lists BC & DWC officials; that to the right details history of Mourne Scheme and need for this new aqueduct.

Architects

Binnie Deacon & Gourley McCullough, R H

Historical Information

Although this building was completed in 1950, it was only with the opening of the Bignian tunnel in 1952 that it came into service. Supplied an additional aqueduct belonging to Belfast City & District Water Commissioners between the Silent Valley and Dunnywater (Annalong valley). This new conduit was necessitated by the construction of the Slieve Bignian tunnel, which diverted the headwaters of the Annalong River into the Silent Valley reservoir. The existing conduit, opened in 1901, was of insufficient capacity (it had originally been intended to construct a reservoir in the Annalong valley), hence the need for the second one. Contractor was McLaughlin & Harvey (Belfast), BCDWC engineer was R.H. McCullough, and consulting engineers were Binnie, Deacon & Gourley (Westminster). Primary Sources: 1. Original map and drawing in DOE Water Service, Westland House, Old Westland Rd, Belfast (cat. no. 4D book 1). 2. Bronze plaques on wall. Secondary Sources: 1. G. McIldowie ‘The construction of the Silent Valley reservoir, Belfast water supply’ in Proc. Institution Civil Engineers, N. Ireland Branch (Belfast 1934). 2. Belfast City & District Water Commissioners ‘The Mourne Scheme’ (Belfast 1959).

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form J. Setting K. Group value

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance V. Authorship

Evaluation

Of similar style to the 1933 screening house (HB16/02/025), thought has obviously gone into the design of this utilitarian building. It is functionally related to the Bignian tunnel (HB16/01/041 and is one of a number of water-related building hereabouts (the above screening house; also scour valve house, HB16/02/024, and lime dosing plant, HB16/02/062). The bronze plaques in the walls are an integral part of the story of the Mourne Water Scheme.

General Comments

Date of Survey

31 July 1997