Record Details

NHER Number:4834
Type of record:Monument
Name:19th century engine house

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.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TL 7764 9663
Map Sheet:TL79NE
Parish:DIDLINGTON, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

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.

Monument Types

  • ENGINE HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • HYDRAULIC RAM (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • HYDROELECTRIC POWER STATION (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TURBINE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
<S1>Map: Ordnance Survey. 1953. Ordnance Survey 6 inch map.
<S2>Illustration: Various. Various. Architectural plans.
<S3>Archive: NIAS. Norfolk Industrial Archaeology Society Records.

Related records - none

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