For many centuries an equally picturesque view beheld us, which was of the quaint village of Watergrove. A Victorian village surrounded by farms beneath a valley of hills where sheep grazed, and the moorland heather gently blew in the North westerly breeze.
Inhabited by over 300 residents, if you lived in the village, you either farmed the land, mined for coal, or sought work from one of the three local mills, most notably Watergrove mill, a large steam-powered factory renowned in the 1850’s for its woollen and cotton cloth.
However, the great depression of the 1930s ensued, unemployment was rife, and the creation of a large reservoir would not only supply drinking water to Rochdale, in grave need due to its growing status as a major Manchester municipality but also provided the added benefit of employment.
The Water Authority’s decision was made, and an Act of Parliament was passed in 1930 to construct a reservoir at Watergrove. The villagers were evacuated and rehoused, buildings were demolished, and of course, the major employer was no longer cotton; 550 men were instead employed to build a dam to flood the land.
On 6th April 1938, Watergrove Reservoir opened, one of the most significant reservoir projects in the North of England, an architectural feat in its day, and today it is still Rochdale’s largest reservoir providing half the water for the town and holding some 750 million gallons of water.
Why the farms that peered over the edge of the valley, high above the waterline, had to go, no one truly understands, but some of the date stones were saved and can be seen in the Wave Wall on the banks of the Watergrove reservoir, which is now home of course to the West Pennine windsurfing club.
However, there is no hiding the history, and in times of drought, several ruins from the submerged village can be seen beneath the usually large expanse of water, providing a unique sense of heritage to your weekend paddle.
When the water levels are low the cobbled roads, once the main footway to work, where children played, can be seen from the car park, along with the foundations of workplaces, homes and even the Methodist church. Hidden secrets of times gone by.
Where would West Pennine Sailing club be now if it wasn’t for the voluntary flooding of the tiny hamlets known collectively as Watergrove? We simply don’t know, but one thing for sure, next time we sail, paddle or surf at West Pennine, we do so knowing that others have previously walked the same path.
If you are interested in windsurfing, wing foiling, canoeing, kayaking or sup discover more at West Pennine Windsurfing Club, located in the Pennines above Rochdale, Lancashire.