Thirlmere
Encyclopedia
Thirlmere is a reservoir
in the Borough of Allerdale
in Cumbria
and the English
Lake District
. It runs roughly south to north, with a dam
at the northern end, and is bordered on the eastern side by the A591 road
and on the western side by a minor road.
Prior to the construction of the reservoir the site was occupied by two smaller lakes - Leathes Water and Wythburn Water. The growth of the industrial city of Manchester
during the 19th century had led to an increased demand for water. The water level was raised by construction of a dam by the Manchester Corporation at the northern end of Thirlmere, in 1890–1894. The reservoir was then able to supply water to Manchester via the Thirlmere Aqueduct
, roughly 100 miles long. John Frederick Bateman
acted as advisor to the corporation for both projects.
There was strong local opposition to the construction of the lake and the Thirlmere Defence Association (TDA) was formed to oppose the parliamentary act which was required before work could begin. The TDA opposed on the basis that raising the water level by 50 feet would submerge the dramatic cliffs which then surrounded the lake and a receding shoreline in summer would expose the smelly and unsightly lake bed. The organisation managed to stall the reading of the act in parliament in 1878 but the act was passed at the second reading in 1879.
in the south with the Vale of Keswick
in the north. The highest point in the valley is Dunmail Raise
. The A591 runs the length of the valley and goes over Dunmail Raise.
The Helvellyn
ridge lies to the east of Thirlmere. To the west of Thirlmere are a number of fells; for instance, Armboth Fell
and Raven Crag
both of which give views of the lake.
, a private
water and utility company.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
in the Borough of Allerdale
Allerdale
Allerdale is a non-metropolitan district of Cumbria, England, with borough status. Its council is based in Workington and the borough has a population of 93,492 according to the 2001 census....
in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
and the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Lake District
Lake District National Park
The Lake District National Park is located in the north-west of England and is the largest of the English National Parks and the second largest in the United Kingdom. It is in the central and most-visited part of the Lake District....
. It runs roughly south to north, with a dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
at the northern end, and is bordered on the eastern side by the A591 road
A591 road
The A591 is a major road in Cumbria, in the north-west of England. The stretch of the road between Windermere and Keswick has been voted Britain's Favourite Road.-Route:...
and on the western side by a minor road.
History
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
during the 19th century had led to an increased demand for water. The water level was raised by construction of a dam by the Manchester Corporation at the northern end of Thirlmere, in 1890–1894. The reservoir was then able to supply water to Manchester via the Thirlmere Aqueduct
Thirlmere Aqueduct
The Thirlmere Aqueduct is part of a water supply system built by the Manchester Corporation Water Works between 1890 and 1925.The aqueduct was built to carry approximately per day of water from Thirlmere Reservoir to Manchester. The construction of the reservoir and aqueduct was authorised by the...
, roughly 100 miles long. John Frederick Bateman
John Frederick Bateman
John Frederick Bateman was an English civil engineer whose work formed the basis of the modern United Kingdom water supply industry. For over 50 years from 1835 he designed and constructed reservoirs and waterworks. His largest project was the system that supplied Manchester with much of its...
acted as advisor to the corporation for both projects.
There was strong local opposition to the construction of the lake and the Thirlmere Defence Association (TDA) was formed to oppose the parliamentary act which was required before work could begin. The TDA opposed on the basis that raising the water level by 50 feet would submerge the dramatic cliffs which then surrounded the lake and a receding shoreline in summer would expose the smelly and unsightly lake bed. The organisation managed to stall the reading of the act in parliament in 1878 but the act was passed at the second reading in 1879.
Geography
The name is sometimes also applied to the whole valley, which connects GrasmereGrasmere
Grasmere is a village, and popular tourist destination, in the centre of the English Lake District. It takes its name from the adjacent lake, and is associated with the Lake Poets...
in the south with the Vale of Keswick
Keswick, Cumbria
Keswick is a market town and civil parish within the Borough of Allerdale in Cumbria, England. It had a population of 4,984, according to the 2001 census, and is situated just north of Derwent Water, and a short distance from Bassenthwaite Lake, both in the Lake District National Park...
in the north. The highest point in the valley is Dunmail Raise
Dunmail Raise
Dunmail Raise is a hill in the English Lake District, the highest point of a pass on the Keswick-Kendal road, the A591, to the south of Thirlmere reservoir on the way to Grasmere, in the Lake District National Park...
. The A591 runs the length of the valley and goes over Dunmail Raise.
The Helvellyn
Helvellyn
Helvellyn is a mountain in the English Lake District, the apex of the Eastern Fells. At above sea level, it is the third highest peak in both the Lake District and England...
ridge lies to the east of Thirlmere. To the west of Thirlmere are a number of fells; for instance, Armboth Fell
Armboth Fell
Armboth Fell is a fell in the English Lake District, believed by Alfred Wainwright to lie in the very centre of Lakeland. The fell is a domed plateau, three-quarters of a mile across, jutting out to the east of the Derwentwater-Thirlmere watershed. The fell is wet underfoot, with large areas clad...
and Raven Crag
Raven Crag
Raven Crag is a fell in the English Lake District. It acts as a superb vantage point for, and backdrop to, views across Thirlmere reservoir.-Topography:...
both of which give views of the lake.
Management
The reservoir and surrounding forested valley is owned and managed by United UtilitiesUnited Utilities
United Utilities Group PLC is the UK's largest listed water business. The Group owns and manages the regulated water and waste water network in the north west England, through it subsidiary United Utilities Water PLC , which is responsible for the vast majority of the group's assets and...
, a private
Privately held company
A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the...
water and utility company.
Further reading
- Ritvo, Harriet. The Dawn of Green: Manchester, Thirlmere, and Modern Environmentalism. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2009, ISBN 9780226720821.