Thirlmere

The first phase was to construct the aqueduct with a capacity of 10000 impgal a day, and to raise the level of Thirlmere by damming up its natural exit to the north. The engineer for the project was George Hill The original contractor suspended work in February 1887, and the contract had to be re-let. A further bill (supported by the Lake District Defence Society and Canon Rawnsley) was contemplated for 1889 to allow Thirlmere to be raised only 20 ft in the first instance, and defer improvement of the road on the west side of the lake but was not proceeded with. Boring of the tunnel under Dunmail Raise was completed in July 1890, and work then began on the dam at the north end of Thirlmere.…

<blockquote>We now approached the lake of Wyburn, or Thirlmer, as it is sometimes called; an object every way suited to the ideas of desolation which surround it, No tufted verdure graces banks, nor hanging woods throw rich reflections on surface: but every form which it suggests, is savage, and desolate. </blockquote> Before the construction of the reservoir there was a smaller natural lake, known by various names including Leathes Water, Wythburn Water Thirle Water, and Thirlmere. (The Leathes were the lords of the manor, the valley in which the lake sat was Wythburndale (after the hamlet of Wythburn at its head), 'Thirlmere' probably is derived from " 'the lake with/at the narrowing'…