Rivington: Thomas Hawksley commemorative stone unveiled

Rivington is one of region’s most visited places – yet many hikers and cyclists are unaware of the vital role the area has played in the development of the North West.

Now more than a 100 years later the civil engineer who channelled water from  Rivington to Liverpool has been recognised for his exceptional work.

The reservoirs date back 175 years thanks to the remarkable work of civil engineer Thomas Hawksley.

He was employed by Liverpool Corporation to bring water to the city as it was being built.

Hawksworth designed the interconnected reservoirs to provide water to the city.

His work recently came to light after Horwich Heritage held an exhibition to mark 175 years of the reservoirs.

Member Derek Cartwright staged a  talk about the local reservoirs

Thomas Hawksley (Image: Public)

Hawksworth designed the interconnected reservoirs to provide water to the city.

Last year, Horwich Heritage held an exhibition to mark 175 years of the reservoirs, and on the back of it, member Derek Cartwright held a talk on them.

He said: "At the end of this presentation I said there are two things missing: there is no recognition of Thomas Hawksley, who designed the reservoirs, and there is no recognition of the navvies and stoneworkers who built them.

"In the room were United Utilities, it inspired them into doing work. They found a stone and asked me for some words to put on it."

An unveiling of the memorial stone took place recently.

mUnveiling of the stone. (L-R) Mat Upton, Catchment Manager United Utilities, Derek Cartwright, Tim Blackburn, Chair Anderton Parish Council and Paul Ashcroft United Utilities. (Image: Andrew Waldren)

Derek continued: "The reservoirs provided water, and the building started in 1850 for the city of Liverpool.

"Initially five reservoirs were designed, Anglezarke, Upper Rivington, Lower Rivington, Roddlesworth and Rake.

"Those last two joined to Anglezarke through a three mile man made river, a 'Goit'. It looks like a canal but it is actually a river.

"They (Hawksley and his team) then took over Chorley Reservoir, near Anglezarke, and then in 1860 built two more, Higher Roddlesworth and Yarrow.

Looking out from Rivington Pike in 1930 (Image: Horwich Heritage)

"There were now eight in the chain and those reservoirs fed Liverpool with water from 1857. 

"They still can today, but it feeds the North West. It fed the city water all without any electric or machinery, it was just through gravity."

The original filter beds which were installed in 1857 filtered the water so that it was clean and fit for drinking. 

These beds were in place all the way through to 1994, when they were replaced by a state-of-the-art treatment centre. 

The stone (Image: Boyd Harris)

Derek continued: "The high quality stonemasons are a lot of the reason we've got the beautiful environment there today. 

"We all spend time at Rivington Reservoirs, it's like a mini-Lake District, but it was something that provided good quality drinking water to a city. 

"We should recognise it and recognise the people who built it."