Gaddings Dam

Gaddings Dam
A sandy, rocky foreshore with water beyond, and an upland horizon
Beach at Gaddings Dam
Relief map of West Yorkshire showing location
Relief map of West Yorkshire showing location
Gaddings Dam
LocationLumbutts, Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England.
Coordinates53°41′53″N 2°04′44″W / 53.698°N 2.079°W / 53.698; -2.079
TypeReservoir
Catchment area20 acres (8 ha)
Built1830s
Surface area7.4 acres (3 ha)
Average depth12 feet (3.6 m)
Water volume4,342,200 cubic feet (122,957 m3)
Surface elevation1,150 feet (350 m)

Gaddings Dam is a locally owned reservoir near to Todmorden in West Yorkshire, England. The dam was built to power water mills in the Todmorden area, being superseded by steam power and left redundant. It is notable for having a sandy beach at the north-eastern side which attracts people to it during the summer months, although it is known for its all-year round wild swimming opportunities. The presence of the sandy shore means the site is often labelled as the "highest beach in Britain", though there are other inland locations with beaches at a higher altitude.

History

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Historically, Gaddings Dam was actually two reservoirs built adjacent to each other, with water entering the valley via Lumbutts Clough.[1] The earlier easterly dam was built to supply water to the mill owners in Lumbutts, but in 1824, the owners of the Rochdale Canal agreed to supplement the supply of water with a western dam due to the availability of water for the millworkings.[2][3] Gaddings is an embankment dam, that has a perimeter of 3,000 feet (900 m),[4][5] an average depth of 12 feet (3.6 m), a surface area of 7.4 acres (3 ha), and a catchment area of 20 acres (8 ha).[6]

In 1923, the dam (along with many others that fed the Rochdale Canal), was sold to the Oldham and Rochdale Corporations as a freshwater supply reservoir.[7] The easterly dam was described in 1988 as "..having dried up long ago..", leaving just the western dam with water.[8] In 2001, the Gaddings Dam Preservation Company bought the deeds to the dam for £1,500 on condition that the dam was preserved for the local community.[9]

On hot days, people from the local area are known to make the 780-foot (240 m) hike to the dam to cool off (there is no direct road access).[10][11] Due to its height above sea level (1,150 feet (350 m)), it is often called the "highest beach in Britain",[12][13][14][15][4] although the owners are quick to point out that this is not true, as many locations in the Lake District have beaches which are higher; even Warland Reservoir, a body of water just to the south-east of Gaddings Dam has a beach at a higher altitude.[16] Even though the dam is known for its year-round wild swimming, the owners and local authorities highlight that there are no changing facilities, toilets, or lifeguards on patrol at the dam.[17] The owners state that the beach has been created by sandstone (the dominant local stone in the area) being broken down by weathering, and being pushed with the prevailing wind to the north-eastern edge of the reservoir.[16] Another possibility for the sand is that it is the broken down remains of stones used for dressing the dam walls.[18]

References

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  1. ^ Law 1995, p. 14.
  2. ^ Parry, Keith (1981). Trans-Pennine heritage: hills, people, and transport. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 68. ISBN 0715380192.
  3. ^ Law 1995, p. 60.
  4. ^ a b "Corrections and clarifications". The Guardian. 13 August 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  5. ^ Blow, John (13 November 2023). "The call of the wild at a special place". The Yorkshire Post. p. 15. ISSN 0963-1496.
  6. ^ "Gaddings Dam Water body ID 31031". eip.ceh.ac.uk. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  7. ^ Henthorn Brown, D. (May 2009). "Canal reservoirs in Great Britain". Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers. 162 (2). Thomas Telford Ltd: 108. doi:10.1680/ehh.2009.162.2.103.
  8. ^ Law 1995, p. 62.
  9. ^ Davis, Ben; Jenkinson, Pete (26 December 2023). "'A wild swimmer's paradise': the beach on top of a Yorkshire moor". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  10. ^ Ratcliffe, Roger (28 October 2023). "Gaddings Dam and Langfield Edge". The Yorkshire Post. Country Week. p. 36. ISSN 0963-1496.
  11. ^ Benson, Jen; Benson, Sim (2018). The adventurer's guide to Britain : 150 incredible experiences on land and water. London: Bloomsbury. p. 86. ISBN 9781844865192.
  12. ^ "OL21" (Map). South Pennines. 1:25,000. Explorer. Ordnance Survey. 2015. ISBN 978-0-319-24260-5.
  13. ^ Tempest, Jack (11 August 1961). "There's beauty on your doorstep". Manchester Evening News. No. 28,743. p. 4.
  14. ^ Mitchinson, James (3 January 2022). "Hardy souls head out for traditional dip". The Yorkshire Post. p. 7. ISSN 0963-1496.
  15. ^ Clare, Horatio (30 August 2013). "Walk on the wild side through the secret delights of Britain". The Daily Telegraph. No. 49,224. p. 23. ISSN 0307-1235.
  16. ^ a b "Info". gaddingsdam.org. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  17. ^ Evans, Alex (8 August 2020). "Police warn visitors flocking to 'highest beach in England' in Calderdale's Gaddings Dam". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  18. ^ Evans, Fiona; Bellamy, Alison (19 July 2013). "A toast to hot Toddy's hidden gem". The Yorkshire Post. p. 3. ISSN 0963-1496.

Sources

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  • Law, Brian R. (1995). Fieldens of Todmorden: a nineteenth century business dynasty. Littleborough: Kelsall. ISBN 0946571260.
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