Lake Vyrnwy History
In the mid-1870s, the village of Llanwddyn had 37 houses, a church, two chapels and three public houses. Much of its population of 443 lived in farms and outlying houses in the parish. The village was largely self-sufficient with a miller, farrier, wheelwright, butcher, blacksmith, dressmakers, shoemakers, carpenters and masons. The economy was based on agriculture.
In 1877, the city of Liverpool, 68 miles away, decided that the valley was ideal for a major reservoir to provide it with water. Nearly all the residents of Llanwddyn opposed this and signed a petition. However, a Bill was presented to Parliament, which received Royal Assent in 1880.
And so the Liverpool Corporation began the mammoth task of building the dam. Half a million tons of locally quarried stone were used in the dam, which in parts is 127 feet thick. It was the largest masonry dam in Britain at the time and the largest artificial reservoir in Europe. The dam itself is now a Grade 1 listed building.
A workforce of 1,000 men, including engineers, stonemasons and labourers built the dam. They were mainly from England and Ireland. The original village was flooded and rebuilt further downstream. The prominent Straining Tower was built to control the level of draw-off and to prevent detritus (rubbish) entering the aqueduct. The completed dam overflowed for the first time in 1889, and by 1892 there was a steady flow of water to Liverpool.
In the mid-1870s, the village of Llanwddyn had 37 houses, a church, two chapels and three public houses. Much of its population of 443 lived in farms and outlying houses in the parish. The village was largely self-sufficient with a miller, farrier, wheelwright, butcher, blacksmith, dressmakers, shoemakers, carpenters and masons. The economy was based on agriculture.
In 1877, the city of Liverpool, 68 miles away, decided that the valley was ideal for a major reservoir to provide it with water. Nearly all the residents of Llanwddyn opposed this and signed a petition. However, a Bill was presented to Parliament, which received Royal Assent in 1880.
And so the Liverpool Corporation began the mammoth task of building the dam. Half a million tons of locally quarried stone were used in the dam, which in parts is 127 feet thick. It was the largest masonry dam in Britain at the time and the largest artificial reservoir in Europe. The dam itself is now a Grade 1 listed building.
A workforce of 1,000 men, including engineers, stonemasons and labourers built the dam. They were mainly from England and Ireland. The original village was flooded and rebuilt further downstream. The prominent Straining Tower was built to control the level of draw-off and to prevent detritus (rubbish) entering the aqueduct. The completed dam overflowed for the first time in 1889, and by 1892 there was a steady flow of water to Liverpool.
Location
Contact
Bryn Vyrnwy Cottage
4 Smithfield St.
Oswestry
Shropshire
SY11 2EG
Tel: (01691) 238297
Email: info@brynvyrnwy.co.uk
Contact
Bryn Vyrnwy Cottage
4 Smithfield St.
Oswestry
Shropshire
SY11 2EG
Tel: (01691) 238297
Email: info@brynvyrnwy.co.uk