History of the Pump House Gallery

The Pump House Gallery building has an interesting architectural history. The main tower was built in 1861 by Simpson and Son to house a coal fired steam engine house, water pump and cast iron tank. Feeding water to the lake and watering the planting in the park, the Pump House had a key role in the development of the artificial lake system, providing both fresh water and a means of circulating the water to prevent it from becoming stagnant.

Water was drawn from a well, pumped to a 32,000 gallon cast iron tank at the top of the tower by means of a steam engine, and periodically released to drive the artificial rockwork cascades. These were built between 1866 and 1870 at the tip of the steeply contoured peninsula which projects from the north bank of the lake. The smaller building adjacent to the tower was built over the well around 1909 for safety reasons.

During the 1930s the steam pump was still in use but after a fire in the 1950s, which destroyed the windows and the original roof, the building fell into disrepair. The chimney was removed and a temporary roof installed to enable the tower to be used for storage. The building became overgrown and the subject of local folklore, known as the 'haunted house'. By the time Wandsworth inherited the park from the London County Council in 1986, the building lay in a derelict condition, the well full of rubbish. The well is still in existence beneath the shop but apparently dry. In 1988 a new underground pumping system, carrying out the same function as the now defunct Pump House, was installed.

In 1987, the park's management plan identified the Pump House as a suitable building for redevelopment. Restoration works were completed in June 1992 with a grant from English Heritage. The then local MP and Secretary for National Heritage, the Rt. Hon. David Mellor QC MP officially opened the Pump House on September 15th 1992. Initially the ground floor housed an interpretive exhibition about the history of the park, with temporary art exhibitions on the upper two floors.

In 1999, The Pump House became Pump House Gallery running a contemporary visual arts programme. The gallery is also still available for private hire for small events such as product or press launches and meetings as well as wedding ceremonies.

More information about Battersea Park >>