Jumbo Water Tower is a water tower at the Balkerne Gate in Colchester, Essex. Charles Clegg (c.1855-c.1904), the Borough Surveyor and Engineer, designed the structure. The tower is 40.1m tall overall and contains 1.2 million red bricks. [1] The tower was nicknamed ’ Jumbo’ after the London Zoo elephant as a term of derision in 1882 by Reverend John Irvine who was annoyed that the tower dwarfed his nearby rectory at St. Mary-at-the-Walls. [2]
Construction and design
Construction took around 20 months and was completed in 1883. 1,200,000 bricks and 819 tons of stone and cement were used in the construction of the tower. The tank is constructed of cast-iron bolted panels and when it was in use could hold 1069 cubic metres (37,800 cubic ft) of water. It was claimed at the time to be the second largest water tower in England. [3]
Inside the central pier are 157 steps to a cupola which at 35.37 metres (116 ft) above ground offers views a long way over Colchester and the surrounding area.
It was listed in 1971 and is at Grade II* on the National Heritage List for England. [4]
Post use history
After a century of service the water tower became superfluous to the water supply system and was sold off by Anglian Water in 1987. It has had multiple owners since. In 2001 after prolonged controversy permission was granted on appeal to replace the tank with a glass walled penthouse, but work on this never started and permission expired. In 2006 at the height of the UK property boom, Jumbo was sold at auction for £330,000 to a local developer. In 2008 a local charity, the Balkerne Tower Trust, was formed with the aim of restoring the Grade II* listed tower and making it a heritage attraction with guided public access.
In September 2011 a subsequent planning application to convert the tower into a penthouse, flats and restaurant was rejected by Colchester Borough Council by 7 votes to 5. [5] Further planning applications in 2013 were also refused, [6] and the building was put up for sale in May 2014, [7] [8] selling for £190,000 at auction [9] to local poultry farmer Paul Flatman [10] A scheme devised by North Essex Heritage, a Building Preservation Trust to construct a restaurant, gift shop and heritage centre within the tower was set back in July 2018 when an application for a Heritage Lottery Fund grant was turned down. [11]
In December 2021 the tower was leased by Paul Flatman to North Essex Heritage for a 150 year term. The Trust plans to adapt the tower to house a restaurant, visitor experience and historical interpretation space. [12]
See also
- Tower Hill Water Tower, a water tower of similar design in Ormskirk, Lancashire
References
- ^ "Engineering Timelines - Colchester Water Tower".
- ^ "Column: Rev John, Jumbo and another remarkable story in Colchester's history". Gazette. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
- ^ “Reputedly the second largest building of its kind in England”, John Booker, Essex and the Industrial Revolution, Essex Record Office 1974, p 175.
- ^ "MUNICIPAL WATER TOWER (JUMBO), Non Civil Parish - 1123669 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
- ^ "Updated: Flats plan for Jumbo water tower rejected". Gazette. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- ^ "Development: Change of use and alterations to provide a mixed use development... : The Jumbo Water Tower, Balkerne Passage, Colchester CO1 1PA". Planning.colchester.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- ^ "BBC News - Colchester's 'Jumbo' water tower to be sold". BBC News. 26 April 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- ^ "Council fails to approve £4m overhaul of Colchester's 'Jumbo' water tower". Architectsjournal.co.uk. 4 November 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- ^ "Allsop LLP Residential Online Catalogue - Auction Home". Auction.co.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- ^ "Colchester's 'Jumbo' water tower bought by poultry farmer". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC News. 30 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
- ^ Sandalls, Katy (3 July 2018). "Future uncertain for Jumbo after heritage funding bid is rejected". www.eadt.co.uk. East Anglian Daily Times - Archant Community Media Ltd. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
- ^ "Colchester Jumbo water tower restoration plans boost". BBC News. 17 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
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