# Derelict House at Sawbridgeworth - What Happened???



## reemasaurus (Mar 14, 2014)

There's a house mentioned in this post: http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=19722#.UyM0uPnV9cR

And after a visit to it today, I'm really curious about what happened to it. It's a reasonabley big complex of 3 houses, and it's in a nice area etc. so I can't see why it would end up in such ruin  - especially seeing how no other houses near it are in this state.

It's between Sawbridgeworth and Harlow, at the end of a road called "Chaseways" (not far from Pishiobury). There was an old tesco bag in there, with a logo that was discontinued in 1987.

I have a few more photos if necessary, but the other post is pretty thorough.


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## krela (Mar 14, 2014)

Nothing about that says house to me, it looks more like a 1940s/50s era water pumping house that's been used for commercial purposes. They were generally thrown up pretty quickly and aren't much use to many people as they're either single skin or no wall cavity buildings with asbestos roofs.


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## reemasaurus (Mar 16, 2014)

krela said:


> Nothing about that says house to me, it looks more like a 1940s/50s era water pumping house that's been used for commercial purposes. They were generally thrown up pretty quickly and aren't much use to many people as they're either single skin or no wall cavity buildings with asbestos roofs.



do you know where I can read up on these water pump houses? I tried googling it, but I keep getting results on industrial water pumps.


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## Dirus_Strictus (Mar 16, 2014)

reemasaurus said:


> do you know where I can read up on these water pump houses? I tried googling it, but I keep getting results on industrial water pumps.



You have to find the name of the first local water company that supplied piped water to the area you are interested in, follow the company trial in local records and you will find a stack of information on details of pump houses, above and underground reservoirs etc. If one did this in the area I live in you can easily trace the beginnings in the early 20th C with the Horsforth and Rawdon Water Company right through to the present times via Yorkshire Water plc. Plans and diagrams in the records show clear details of the underground reservoir and the above ground pump house that was the original Rawdon supply and this installation is still there, now unused and 10 mins walk from my cottage. Good luck in your research.

Krela is obviously correct in his reasoning - the remaining pipework from the borehole(?) or holding reservoir(?) and the large electrical switchgear for the pump(s) are the major clues as to what this place was built for. Whilst places like this were ripe for commercial use when the large public water authorities were formed and the water supply system in the UK was unified, this place is strikingly similar to a building constructed by a neighbouring water company that formed part of the Harrogate supply. This set up contained pump house, office and toilets, small quality control lab and large workshop/garage for maintenance of pumps and valves and overnight parking of the maintenance vehicles. The report clearly shows that the domestic electrical supply and the toilet pans and cisterns are relatively modern, but I do wonder if the Sawbridgeworth set up was originally similar to the one I am familiar with?


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