Cropston Reservoir

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox body of water

| name = Cropston Reservoir

| image = Cropston Reservoir Building.jpg

| caption =

| image_bathymetry =

| caption_bathymetry =

| location = Leicestershire

| coords = {{coord|52|41|37.07|N|1|11|38.68|W|type:waterbody_region:GB|display=inline,title}}

| lake_type = reservoir

| inflow = River Lin

| outflow = River Lin

| catchment =

| basin_countries = United Kingdom

| length =

| width =

| area =

| depth =

| max-depth =

| volume = {{convert|500|e6impgal|GL acre.ft}}

| residence_time =

| shore =

| elevation =

| islands =

| cities = Cropston

| pushpin_map = United Kingdom Leicestershire

| pushpin_map_alt = Location of reservoir in Leicestershire, England

}}

{{OSM Location map

| coord = {{Coord|52.6914|-1.198}}

| zoom = 14

| width = 460

| height = 300

| caption = Cropston Reservoir, next to Bradgate Park, Leicestershire ->

| minimap = file

| mini-file = Leicestershire UK location map.svg

| mini-width = 80

| mini-height = 60

| minipog-x = 37

| minipog-y = 27

| scalemark = 75

| mark-coord = {{Coord|52.69632|-1.22391}}

| mark-size = 11

| label = Old John Tower

| label-size = 13

|label-color = #666655

| label-pos = right

| mark-title = Old John

| mark-image = Old John (Leicestershire).jpg

| mark-description = Hill top tower of Old John, in Bradgate Park

| label1 = War memorial

| label-pos1 = left

| label-size1 = 9

|label-color1 = #666655

| mark-coord1 = {{Coord|52.694944|-1.2254584}}

| mark-size1 = 7

| mark-title1 = War memorial at Bradgate

| mark-image1 = Leicestershire Yeomanry Memorial, Bradgate Park - geograph.org.uk - 885190.jpg

| mark-description1 = Leicestershire Yeomanry Memorial, Bradgate Park

| label2 = B R A D G A T E

| labela2 = P A R K

| label-pos2 = top

| mark-coord2 = {{Coord|52.69|-1.2101}}

| mark-size2 = 0| label-size2=12

| mark-title2 = Bradgate Park

| mark-image2 = Bradgate Park - geograph.org.uk - 885175.jpg

| mark-description2 = With its origins as a medieval deep park, Bradgate Park is now a popular visitor destination.

| label3 = Bradgate

| labela3 = House

| label-pos3 = bottom

| mark-coord3 = {{Coord|52.686698|-1.2111676}}

| mark-size3 = 7

| mark-title3 = Bradgate House ruins

| mark-image3 = Bradgate House - geograph.org.uk - 883366.jpg

| mark-description3 = Ruins of the 16th century Bradgate House, home of the Grey family

| label4 = Cropston Reservoir

|label-color4 = #77A1CB

|label-angle4 = -40

| label-pos4 = top

| mark-coord4 = {{Coord|52.6924|-1.1939}}

| mark-size4 = 0

| label-size4 = 12

| mark-title4 = Cropston reservoir

| mark-image4 = Boathouse and Cropston Reservoir - geograph.org.uk - 48496.jpg

| mark-description4 = It was opened in May 1871 in a corner of Bradgate Park, to supply water for the growing town of Leicester.

| label5 = Old John Car Park

| labela5 = (Hunt's Hill)

| label-pos5 = right

| mark5 = BSicon PARKING.svg

| mark-coord5 = {{Coord|52.70037|-1.22784}}

| mark-size5 = 11

| mark-title5 = Old John Car Park

| label6 = Hallgates

| label-pos6 = bottom

| mark6 = BSicon PARKING.svg

| mark-coord6 = {{Coord|52.69727|-1.1991620}}

| mark-size6 = 11

| mark-title6 = Hallgates Car Park

| label7 =

| label-pos7 = bottom

| mark7 = BSicon PARKING.svg

| mark-coord7 = {{Coord|52.68356|-1.2277007}}

| mark-size7 = 11

| mark-title7 = Newtown Linford Car Park

}}

Cropston Reservoir (originally known as Bradgate Reservoir) lies in Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire, England. The dam and associated water works are in Cropston, while the bulk of the reservoir is in the neighbouring Newtown Linford parish. It was opened in May 1871 in a corner of Bradgate Park, a large expanse of open land northwest of Leicester. It is part of the {{convert|399.3|ha|acre|order=flip|adj=on}} Bradgate Park and Cropston Reservoir Site of Special Scientific Interest.{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1003431&SiteName=bradgate&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Bradgate Park and Cropston Reservoir | series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate = 16 September 2017}}{{cite web|url= http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271003431%27|title=Map of Bradgate Park and Cropston Reservoir|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate= 16 September 2017}}

London-based consulting engineer Thomas Hawksley was appointed by Leicester Water Works in 1865 to carry out the surveying work. In September 1867, {{convert|180|acre|ha}} of land adjacent to the deer park at Bradgate Park was purchased from the Earl of Stamford for a cost of £24,000.Elliott, Malcolm (2010) Victorian Leicester, Amberley, {{ISBN|978-1-84868-451-5}}, p. 128 A stone wall was built by George Rudkin around the boundary to separate the deer park from the reservoir, at a cost of 8s 10d per yard. The dam is {{convert|760|yd|m}} long and rises to a height of {{convert|51|ft|m}} at its highest point, which gives a depth of water of {{convert|38|ft|m}}.{{cite news |title=Visit of the Institution of Civil Engineers to the Waterworks at Bradgate |work=Leicester Journal |date=28 June 1872 |accessdate=20 January 2018 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000205/18720628/017/0006| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} The cost of the dam was £41,356 and the reservoir £8,500 with the contract being awarded to Benton & Woodiwiss of Derby.{{cite web |url=http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/cropston/buildingcropstonreservoir.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001170106/http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/cropston/buildingcropstonreservoir.html |archive-date=2011-10-01 |title=Cropston - Building Cropston Reservoir - Leicestershire Villages}} The reservoir was completed in 1870. The dam was originally constructed from a mixture of siliceous sand and clay, but as water was found to be leaking through it, it was rebuilt and now extends {{convert|40|ft|m}} below the surface. Water from the reservoir was piped to four large filter beds. It was then pumped to an elevation matching the supply from Thornton Reservoir so that the supplies from the two reservoirs could be merged.

The reservoir is formed by the River Lin and is owned and managed by Severn Trent. The growing population of Leicester and surrounding areas meant that by the late 19th century the reservoirs in Leicestershire were no longer adequate to meet demand, and water is now piped from Ladybower Reservoir to Cropston."[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/7678929.stm Water bosses plan huge pipeline]", BBC, 20 October 2008. Retrieved 2 July 2014

File:Cropston Reservoir from Bradgate.JPG

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