The Flooded Properties project
Documents
The original Tittesworth dam was built about 1858 for the purpose of supplying compensation water to Millowners on the R. Churnet. No water was taken from the reservoir for public supply.
By an Act of parliament in 1949 Staffordshire Potteries Water Board obtained powers to raise the existing dam to use the reservoir for public water supply purposes. This effectively meant that 9 properties in the village of Meerbrook would be flooded as part of the scheme.
Some of the properties were..
Two farms at New Grange
Waterhouse Farm
Fountain Inn and ajoining cottage
Allen's Garage
Findlows builders yard
Lock keepers cottage near the dam
Work did not start until May 1959.
Evidently the existing dam had a bulge in it and was not in a particulary safe condition. During the work to raise the dam on the 8th May 1960 the earthworks slipped. The reservoir was empty at the time but could be still catatrophic if there was heavy rain during the rebuild. The dam design was revised and construction continued with added safeguards.
see technical document by Stafforshire Potteries Water Board
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The Fountain Inn was one of the flooded properties
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These photos were provided by Severn Trent and were on glass slides! Some are a bit wonky!
