A Drowned Village - Background Shap

Mardale Green. a hamlet in the parish of Shap, was drowned in the 1930s when Haweswater was extended to provide a reservoir for Manchester

The village of Mardale Green was submerged when Haweswater Reservoir was created to serve Manchester Corporation.  Much of the village was blown up, but the church was dismantled carefully in April 1937, and some of its stones were used in building the tower which stands on the side of the reservoir

In very dry years, such as in 2014, when the level of the reservoir falls, some structures such as gates can still be seen

The above image shows Mardale Green as it was before it was flooded. Copyright North News & Pictures Ltd

Posted by Bill Shannon