Pumping House and Well House at Swithland Reservoir Water Works, Kinchley Lane, Swithland Reservoir (Grade II)

Pumping house and former well house of 1896. By Hawkesley of London. Red brick with elaborate stone dressings, bands, frieze, dentilled cornice, parapet and stone coped gables. Slate roof, part with cast iron ridge flashing and ridge stack to rear. In Renaissance style with main range of tall one storey and stone banded basement with lower similar boiler house range to rear. Central gabled projection with doorway up parapetted flight of 13 stone steps. Elaborate stone door surround with banded half columns and pilasters, volutes, curved pediment with fanlight and three 1 lights beneath, and a side light either side of two leaved door and overlight under a segmental arch. Dated A.D. 1896. Either side of central projection an 8/8 sash in basement and a tall stone mullioned window with rounded arch above. This is of 2 lights with toplights and fanlight in arch. Mullions formed of two half round columns. A pair of similar windows on each end with 8/8 sashes in basement (2 blank), and a 3 light window in gable. Between main windows on left end a stone tablet containing Leicester City crest. Windows on rear range of 2 or 3 light double or triple rounded arch head within the stone lintel band. Left side rear gable has row of five similar open arches. From left side extends the square base of the truncated chimney whilst on right side extends a walled yard with large Vanbrughian corner piers containing small outhouses and capped with pyramid roofs. Flight of parapetted stone steps on both sides of rear range lead to higher level at rear. On rear of rear range a series of four arches, two altered to form one, covered with glazed tiles leads to large bins for coal delivery. Close to rear a small square one storey and basement former well house, similarly Vanbrughian, and with pyramid roof and finial. Stone parapet. To front and left side two 6/6 top opening windows. On right side flat topped covered entrance at basement level. Two basement 1 light windows and flight of steps on rear. Complex stands in parklike setting with choice trees and shrubs. Group value with the other items at Swithland Reservoir Water Works.