Screening chamber (1933)

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two almost-identical one-storey buildings at north and south ends of enclosure containing subterranean filters to clean water emerging from reservoir (via the scour valve house) just before it enters the Mourne conduit to Belfast. That at north end of yard is valve house (controlling flow to screens), that to south is meter house (to measure quantity of water passing through and monitor leakage in conduit).

Roofs are flat concrete with asphalt covering, with low projecting ashlar granite parapets. Walls of rock-faced granite blocks in irregular courses over chamfered bases and embellished with stepped ashlar quoins. Paired 1/1 wooden windows (top openers, bottom hung), surrounds of which are of stepped ashlar granite (with chamfered cills), and with ashlar stringing above. Double entrance doors set in slightly proud wall sections facing into open yard.

The yard is bounded on either side by low walls with rusticated copings and metal security railings over. Entered through a pillared gate on west side. In chamber beneath concrete floor is duplicate set of perforated metal filter screens and overflow (back to river). Accessed by two removable sloping covers sheeted with corrugated metal.

On the south wall of the south building is a large bronze plaque bearing Belfast Corporation's coat of arms.

Historical information

Erected by Belfast City & District Water Commissioners as part of the Silent Valley reservoir scheme. Contractor Messrs S. Pearson & Son (London). Completed by 1926, but only became operational with the reservoir’s opening in 1933. Now works in tandem with 1950 screening room to its immediate north-west (HB16/02/026).

Primary Sources:
1. Original map and drawing in DOE Water Service, Westland House, Old Westland Rd, Belfast (cat. no. 1C1, 2C16-18, 2D4, 2D69).
2. Bronze plaques on valve tower wall.

Secondary Sources:
1. G. McIldowie, ‘The construction of the Silent Valley reservoir, Belfast water supply’ in Proc. Institution Civil Engineers, N. Ireland Branch (Belfast 1934).
2. Belfast City & District Water Commissioners, ‘The Mourne Scheme’ (Belfast 1959).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
V. Authorship

Evaluation

An integral part of the Silent Valley reservoir, this utilitarian structure shows considerable thought in its design, embellishment, scale and execution. Historically it is of interest in its association with the second phase of the Mourne Scheme (the first being the simple diversion of the Kilkeel River to Belfast in 1901). It also forms a cohesive group with the later screening room (1950), lime dosing plant (1985), and nearby lodges (early 1900s).