Archaeological Building Recording at the North Filter House, Blackmoorfoot Reservoir, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire

In July 2007, ARCUS were commissioned by Keyland Developments Limited, to undertake archaeological building recording of the former water filtration house located on the north side of Blackmoorfoot Reservoir, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. The recording comprised a measured survey, record photography and documentary research. This report presents the results of this work and is intended to provide a detailed analysis of the design and use of this building and the phases of alteration since its construction. The rectangular building was purpose built to provide filtered water for the districts of Slaithwaite, Linthwaite and Huddersfield in 1915-1918. It utilised plant that used the technology of pressurised filtration, involving the processing of lime and addition of alum. Only the shell and metal framed roof of the building remained at the time of survey, although archive research has enabled a detailed understanding of the former function of the building. Late twentieth-century alterations indicate that the building was reconfigured, presumably to adopt advances in water technology and a change of use following the removal of filtration plant. A similar survey was carried out by ARCUS in October 2002, on the south filter house at Blackmoorfoot Reservoir, Huddersfield (ARCUS Report 706.1) and this study highlighted the research potential for similar buildings, even when part or all the internal plant has been removed. The analysis of the few extant features of this filter house was aided as a result of obtaining copies of the original architects plans for the building dated to 1915 and held in the archives of Yorkshire Water.