Lendal Tower - Museum Street, York, UK
N 53° 57.611 W 001° 05.226
30U E 625502 N 5980785
Lendal Tower stands on the north east bank of the River Ouse just to the west of the north end of Lendal Bridge.
Waymark Code: WMGHYZ
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 03/10/2013
Views: 5
The plaque, that is fixed to the wall
of the tower but can be read from the bridge, reads:
Lendal
Tower
Dating from about
1300, it was originally part of the City's defences, with a defensive chain
stretching from here to the Tower on the opposite bank. In 1677 it was leased
to the predecessors of The York Waterworks Plc for five hundred years, at an
annual rent of one peppercorn, for use as a water tower. During the 18th
century it housed a steam pumping engine modified to the design of John
Smeaton FRS. then a proprietor of the Waterworks. It ceased to be used for
those purposes in 1850. In 1932 it was refurbished and now houses the
Company's Board Rooms.
The History of York website [visit
link] adds:
"Lendal Tower has stood next to the
River Ouse since about the 1300.
It was originally part of the
City's defences. In medieval times a great iron chain which was stored in the
tower was pulled across the river to Barker Tower on the opposite
bank.
The chain was a barrier to boats on
the river, protecting the city in times of trouble and enabling tolls to be
charged for entry.
In 1677 the tower was leased for
500 years to the York waterworks company. Water was pumped from the tower
into pipes that ran throughout York. This role continued for 200 years,
until in 1836 a dedicated engine house was built (this is the red-brick building
adjoining Lendal Tower).
From then on the Tower has had
various uses as offices, store and private
residence."