Building record 1697/0/5 - Water Tower, Abington Park (The Pigeonry)

1678. Squared and coursed rubble, ashlar dressings and quoins.

{1} 1678. Squared and coursed rubble, ashlar dressings and quoins. Plinth, mid height and eaves bands, parapet. Conical slate roof. Later buttresses to 2 corners. Well below, dovecote under roof, internal stair turret.

{2} Squared coursed rubble water tower with ashlar dressings; built 1678; later buttresses to 2 corners; conical slate roof with parapet; well located below building; dovecote under roof; internal stair turret.

{3} In Abington Park to north-west of house is tower dated 1678; above is dovecote & below well served by water-wheel.

{4} Water tower in park bears W.Thursby's initials & date 1678; stands some distance to north-east of house near fishponds; 2 stories height with slated pyramidal roof; buttressed on west side where ground falls & has stairway in south-east angle;

{5} Draft lease mentions dovecote & separately "waterhouse & pipes in park"; not sure whether same structure or perhaps another dovecote closer to house.

{6} Rectangular structure shown to north of complex of ponds & at north edge of park.

{7} "manor-house with park adjoining in which are a Water-house & reservoir built by his [William Thursby's] predecessor to receive a stream flowing from a spring called Broadley Head.".

{9} Tower overhung with ivy & constructed to supply house with water from Broadley-head Spring serves double purposes of utility & ornament.

{12} Marked "water tower: disused".

{13} William Thursby erected tower; actually dovecote & well head; dated 1678; still standing.

{14} Post med/modern water tower.

{15} Photographs.

{16} The dovecote at Castle Ashby was assessed by the Oxford Archaeological Unit in 1995 as part of the Monuments Protection Programme. It was recommended for Scheduling. The upper floor houses the dovecote and the lower floor houses a well head which once housed a water wheel. The two floors are linked by an internal stair turret. The dovecote has only a few holes for access.

{17} Undated photo, probably 1990s;

{19} 'It was contrived almost certainly by Samuel Warren of Weston Favell, who had a considerable reputation at the time for such mechanics.'

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 14/17 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), H14 p.11 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN1000.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.345 (checked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Salzman L.F.(ed), 1937, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.65 (checked) (Series). SNN100371.

<5> 1836, NRO T(A)44, (unchecked) (Document). SNN47096.

<6> 1742, Abington Estate Map, (checked) (Map). SNN41652.

<7> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.400 (checked) (Book). SNN77325.

<8> 1798, Abington Map (NRO 470), (part checked) (Map). SNN41653.

<9> Baker G., 1822-36, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.7 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10400.

<10> Ordnance Survey, 1887, First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 Inch Mapping Series (45.06), (unchecked) (Map). SNN58994.

<11> 1950, Untitled Source, (checked) (Photographs). SNN59002.

<12> , 1920, Third Edition, (checked) (Map). SNN45204.

<13> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.210 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<14> Starmer G.H., 1982, National Register of Industrial Monuments, (part checked) (Catalogue). SNN563.

<15> Collins P., 1972, Dovecotes: With Particular Reference to the Dovecotes of Northamptonshire (Dissertation). SNN71824.

<16> OXFORD ARCHAEOLOGICAL UNIT, 1995, Monuments Protection Programme Step 3 report: Site Evaluation for Dovecotes, Site 64 (Report). SNN113461.

<17> Photographs of buildings in Northampton (Photographs). SNN114989.

<18> Perkins, P, Whittaker, R and Denton, A, 2022, A Guide to the Industrial Heritage of Northamptonshire, p. 65-6/Site 288 (Book). SNN113793.

<19> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 472 (Book). SNN111989.

Record last edited

Apr 29 2025 1:11PM