The reservoir was not sufficiently high to allow water to gravitate to Leicester, so a pumping station was required.
Two beam engines were driven by coal-fired boilers.
The water was passed through sand filter beds, but these were too slow and were eventually replaced by mechanical filters.
The tower gave a view over the reservoir to check for any problems.
At the time the reservoir was built Cropston's permanent population was around 100. This was dwarfed by the number of building workers required for the reservoir, who lived in temporary accommodation near Hallgates.
An additional constable was appointed at the water company’s expense to keep order. His wages were 20 shillings a week plus clothing.
However, there were inevitable problems of disorder: in July 1870 there was an affray between the Cropston navvies and the quarrymen at Mountsorrel. Frederick Thornton appeared before the Police Court at Loughborough charged with inflicting serious head injury with an ale glass.
In a letter to the editor of the Leicester Chronicle and Mercury the Registrar for the district claimed that the questionable morals of the navvies were partly responsible for an increase in the local death rate:
"The Rothley sub-district includes Cropston and the New Bradgate Reservoir; in the immediate neighbourhood of which the 500 or 600 workmen employed upon it have had to be lodged. The habits of this migratory class, and their morals together, quite satisfactorily account for another percentage of increase in the death-rate in this district."
The Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury March 11th 1871
A dam was built at the eastern end of the shallow valley. The dam is 760 yards long and rises to a height of 51 feet at its highest point, which gives a depth of water of 38 feet.
The dam is constructed of Swithland slate with a centre core of puddled clay, obtained from land to the north side of the reservoir still known as "Puddledyke".
Puddledyke Clay Pit
Slate gatepost at village end of the dam
Sketch showing original line of redirected road
© 2017 Thurcaston & Cropston Local History Society
The first section of the original road, from its junction on Station Road between The Thatch and Corner Cottage, still exists.
The city of Leicester was faced with a growing population at a time when, after epidemics in 1831,1832 and 1847, cholera was a major concern. Thornton Reservoir had been built in 1854, but another source of clean water was needed.
In 1866 Parliament passed the Leicester Waterworks Act, enabling the construction of Bradgate (later Cropston) Reservoir.
In the words of the chief Engineer, Mr Hawskley, the advantages of Bradgate over the other sites under consideration (Bardon, Groby and Bagworth) were:
" the finest stream, the best water, the cleanest drainage and, under all consideration except that of pumping, the most advantageous scheme is the Bradgate "
In September 1867, 180 acres of land was purchased for a cost of £24,000.
Most of the land required for the reservoir, dam and waterworks belonged to the Bradgate Estate. Lord Stamford insisted that a stone wall be built around the boundary to separate the deer park from the reservoir, instead of the proposed iron railings. This wall, 1,500 yards long was eventually built at a cost of 8s 10d per yard.
Joseph Reeves, Head Gamekeeper, outside his house.
Some of the Bradgate Estate land was part of the deer park, but most was farmland let out on very long leases. One farmer, Joseph Allen, lost virtually all his farm. Two members of the Matts family had theirs considerably reduced in size.
The Gamekeeper’s house and land, together with a nearby bridge, were also in the area to be flooded. The house, together with its stables and outhouses, were demolished and the bricks sold.
Part of the footpath between Anstey and Hallgates was submerged, as was the site of the old rabbit warren (or conery).