Edgbaston Waterworks

Edgbaston Waterworks stands two miles west of Birmingham city centre, beside Edgbaston Reservoir. The site was designed in the 1870s by architects John Henry Chamberlain and William Martin. Its engine house, boiler house and tall chimney are Grade II listed structures. Operated today by Severn Trent Water, the works supply drinking water to homes. Though close to the reservoir, it has never shared water with the canal system. Local legend links the waterworks and nearby Perrott’s Folly to towers in J. R. R. Tolkien’s writings. Tolkien grew up in the area and may have seen these towers daily. No proof exists, but the idea has been repeated often. The buildings themselves reflect Birmingham’s late-19th-century civic pride. Their red-brick style and tall chimney dominate the skyline. Visitors walk past the engine house and boiler house, both still standing. The tall chimney rises above the site, a landmark in the flat landscape. The brickwork shows fine detailing by Chamberlain and Martin. Nearby, the reservoir offers a wide stretch of water for short strolls. The contrast between industrial waterworks and open reservoir creates an unusual scene.