NHER 4834 (Monument record) - 19th century engine house

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Summary

A large barrel vaulted chamber in the grounds of the former Didlington Hall (NHER4821), under a mound and housing machinery. It is thought to be a small early hydroelectric plant, although investigations continue.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TL79NE
Civil Parish DIDLINGTON, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Map

Engine house.

Marked on (S1) as Engine House, this is a remarkably fine structure consisting of a large barrel vaulted chamber under a mound. It is entered from the east by steps down a cutting; to the south is a high level window or door above a sluice; to the north a long brick tunnel stretches away. In the centre is an upright axle with turbine wheel at the base; to the west is a small engine of some sort in a recess. This is stated by the present owner to have been a hydraulic ram installed in 1850 and used to pump water from the lakes to the hall and garden. However, it looks more like a hydro-electric plant worked by the fall from one lake to the other, and it is known the estate had an early example of such plant installed by Green and Carter.
E. Rose (NLA), 29 January 2004.

Details of similar hydro-electric installations in file (S2).
E. Rose (NLA), 9 March 2004.

  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • <S1> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1950-1959. Ordnance Survey Map. Six inches to the mile. 1950's Revisions..
  • <S2> Drawing: Various. Various. Architectural plans.
  • <S3> Archive: NIAS. Norfolk Industrial Archaeology Society Records.

Object Types (0)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Sep 4 2017 8:59AM

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