The Old Pump House at Green Moor

The Old Pump House at Green Moor

At the end of the field trip to Green Moor with the Sheffield U3A Geology Group, eight of us took advantage of a very rare opportunity to go down into the depths of the Old Pump House, which was provided by Barry Tylee – a Green Moor resident and Hunshelf Parish Council member.

Descending the shaft of the Old Pump House

The stone roofed pump house, which supplied drinking water to the village until 1951, is unusual in that the water is at the bottom of a 10 metre vertical shaft, followed by a 16 metre long tunnel. Although there isn't much to see when you get to the bottom, apart from the old wooden supports and the water pipe, it's an interesting example of engineering and it was appreciated by everyone who went down there.

A few views inside the Old Pump House at Green Moor

With space for only three people at a time, the rest of the group could spent the time waiting by looking at various display boards outside the pump house, taking in the views of the Don Valley from Ivy Millennium Green, reading the various information boards, further exploring this attractive and very well maintained part of the village or just enjoying the afternoon sunshine.

Views across the upper Don Valley from Ivy Millennium Green

For those of the group who had not had enough of seeing rocks for one day, specimens of ganister and iron nodules - which I had found during the cleaning of the rock face at the Green Moor Quarry RIGS - were left on a boulder in Ivy Millennium Green for them to examine.

Iron nodules and ganister