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Gote Road Maryport water supply pumping station
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Maryport continued to obtain water from the outskirts of Cockermouth, pumping from a well by the Derwent, next to Low Gote Mill, to a height of 220 feet [67m] at the sand filtering beds at Bridekirk. [7] From there it flowed by gravity to the Hayborough reservoir.
Alternative arrangements were made and the pumping station was converted into dwellings in 1974. The outstanding square and stepped chimney was demolished.
The building had an attractive interior with decorative columns and a polished floor; also, until it went for scrap in the 1939-45 war, a beam engine. The stone-lined well has been preserved intact and covered in such a way that it may still be examined by the industrial archaeologist. [8] (Fig. 62). Bradbury Chpt 19
This building once had a steam engine with adjacent chimney and it drew water from a borehole and pumped it to the top of Tallentire Hill to then supply Maryport with drinking water.
“In 1874 two schemes [to supply drinking water] were considered. The first was to extend the Cockermouth waterworks to supply Workington and the intermediate villages via a new reservoir near Scales Farm. [1] This £25,000 plan would have given Workington purer water, but it was never implemented, possibly because a bill was about to be considered by Parliament prohibiting the placing of sewage in rivers. (Cockermouth Local Board was granted an extension to find an alternative to its use of the Derwent.) The second and more favoured scheme was for a ‘Whinlatter reservoir to supply Cockermouth, Workington, Maryport and the villages with 900,000 gallons per day. [2] This too was finally abandoned in 1876 and the following year the Crummock Water scheme was put forward. Parliament passed the Cockermouth and Workington Bill and water began flowing on 15 May 1880. The old pumping station by the Cocker was advertised for sale. [3] Since then various improvements in the supply have been made. A new reservoir was built on the opposite corner of Parkside Avenue, connected to one above Towers Lane (with a stone tower) which provides pressure for the higher parts of the town. In the 1960s a new pipe line was laid from Crummock and treatment works built downstream from Scalehill.” Bradbury chapter 19
Gote Road pump house chimney sends water to Maryport via Tallentire Hill here the chimney demolition is in progress. Viewed from the left bank of the Derwent on the site of the demolished Fitz Mill, which is accessed behind Lakes Home Centre car park.
The Gote area.
Spital Ing Lane leads to (Low) Gote Mills (corn) which powered the Harris family flax and corn mill. Where the word Spital is, the house on the right was built as a drying shed by the Harris family who started their business in Low Goat Mill (on the left).
The Harris family came from Ireland and their business was in the production of linen, converting flax into linen and they dried it in what we know as the Hospice. Linen was the common clothing material. Eventually the Harris family built Harris Mill, which was powered by coal and steam and built a bridge across the Derwent for their workers. Later a firm from Yarmouth called Millers took over the buildings so the building and bridge became known as Millers.
Low Goat Mills (corn) and is now where Lawsons Haulage operate from. At the entrance to their haulage yard is the three storey mill building and a protruding upper shed where pulleys brought the sacks of grain. This was powered by the mill race that ran from the Derwent past the bend opposite the castle, the remains can still be seen with an explanatory display board.
On the Papcastle Road is Low Goat Mill, powered by the same mill race from opposite the castle. The water wheel at the Low Goat Mill on the Papcastle road has been refurbished and is displayed outside the mill building which is now dwellings.
Back Lane leads to Derwentside Gardens housing.
A sketch from Bradbury is based on a map of “Land belonging to Goathouse” 1727, shows High Gote Mill and Low Gote Mill and the leat water channel supplying them.
Click for zoomable map from the National Library of Scotland: https://maps.nls.uk/view/229913841
