Leawood Pump is a stationary, single acting, 70 horse power, overhead beam steam pumping engine which was constructed in 1849 to pump water from the River Derwent into the canal to maintain the water levels in the canal. The engine was built by Graham and Co of Elsecar, the original boiler plates were supplied by the Butterley Company of Ripley. The present boilers are locomotive type built by Midland Railway Co in 1900. The building is a very grand construction of dressed gritstone and slate roofing built below the towpath level just south of HPJ, it has 95 feet high chimney which can be seen from quite a distance away. This pumphouse replaced an earlier temporary pump which had been installed just north of HPJ in 1844 following a drought.
The Pump house is opened and run several times a year and is free entry although donations are welcome as it cost around £300 a day to run the engine which is manned by volunteers. Check the website or at HPJ for the next running times and make a visit to extremely historic and interesting building and engine. This is only one of three steam driven canal pumps running in the country.
In December 2001, the Derwent Valley Mills in Derbyshire was inscribed on the World Heritage List. This international designation confirms the outstanding importance of the area as the birthplace of the factory system where in the 18th Century water power was successfully harnessed for textile production.
Find out more information about the history of Cromford Canal here
You can also find out what else there is to see and do along the Cromford Canal here